For You I Will
by myboygeorge
Summary: Follow Esposito and Meredeth from the question of a lifetime as he proposes and they prepare for their wedding day.  Crumbs-verse, of course.
1. The Moment Click: April 23

When he finally made it home, brain dull and senses blurred, Esposito wanted one thing and one thing only - to hold his Meredeth and feel her heart beat.

The crime scene he'd arrived on had been brutal, a domestic violence case gone way wrong. It had been bloody and violent and altogether draining, so much so they'd cancelled poker night and all gone home to their families - Beckett to Castle and Alexis, Ryan to a rosily pregnant Honey-Milk and Esposito to Meredeth.

He opened the door and was greeted by Arturo's happy barks as he trotted out from the kitchen. He bent down to give the mixed breed a healthy scratch on the head and receive happy puppy kisses in return.

'Hey babe,' Meredeth called from the kitchen. 'I'm making that sweet potato and chicken soup you like so you can have a quick bite before poker with the gang tonight.'

Esposito didn't respond, just dropped his work bag and coat on the stairs before he wandered to the kitchen. For a moment he just stood there and watched her, turning from the stove to search in the fridge for a bottle of cooking wine, sniffing at a jar of spices before adding a pinch to the stockpot. She had her hair clipped up off her neck, and he could see the glint of her writer's plume necklace as she sang along with Ritchie Valens while she cooked.

Without a word, he went up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, breathed her in; he could smell the traces of her French perfume and cucumber soap and wanted to weep. Her long legs, her curved stomach, her beautiful breasts, that soft ticklish spot behind her right ear, everything about her was both arousal and comfort. He let his mouth pressed against the curve of her neck where it met her shoulder, and almost broke when he felt her tilt her head so her cheek rested against his temple.

'Hello, my love.'

'Hello, yourself.' She tried to turn so she could give him a welcome-home kiss but found herself unable to; he had such a tight embrace on her. Immediately she could sense something was up. 'Javi? Everything alright?'

'No. It was a really shitty day.'

'You want to talk about it?'

'No. I don't. Not yet, anyways.' He didn't want that horrible image in his mind, not here, when Meredeth was still alive and breathing, making him soup before the poker game she didn't know was canceled. Loosening his grip, he watched as she turned around, those laser blue eyes searching his face.

'It was a bad one today,' she murmured.

'The worst kind.'

'Okay.' Meredeth turned back to the stove, turned on the teakettle; despite being a prolific coffee drinker she knew after he'd a rough one, when a stiff drink just made things worse, he always wanted tea. 'I'm just about to blend this soup up, so you eat and head out.'

'We canceled the game tonight.' Esposito went to the cupboard to pull out the bottle of whiskey, then just let his and fall away from the handle before he could open it. 'We just weren't up to it.'

Meredeth wiped her hands on a towel. She'd seen him deal with bad cases that mad him angry or sullen, but not one that had him looking so lost and miserable. The only time she'd seen him look so defeated was after her first hypnotherapy session five months prior. Clearly whatever the case was had gotten to him, in such a way she knew that trying to get him to talk about it would be as fruitful as waiting for Godot. Instead, she pulled out the box of organic earl grey tea and fixed him a cup, added the cream she knew he liked in all his hot beverages.

'Have a seat,' she murmured, pressing the cup into his hands and rubbing his back gently. 'I'll finish up with dinner.'

Too numb to really think anymore Esposito sat at the kitchen table, absently scratched Arturo's ears when he wandered over. He nudged around the papers on the table, saw Meredeth was in the middle of drafting a fight scene between her leading lady Tabitha and Tabitha's long-time, long-suffering cohort Joshua - he could tell from the labelled stick figures on her colour-coded chart paper. There was also a flyer for Gristedes, the loose change from Meredeth's hoodie pocket, a receipt from Starbucks and inexplicably, three little green army men. All those little details that made up his world.

He'd zoned so far out he nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Meredeth beside him, run her fingers over his head, down to his shoulder.

'Baby, you're exhausted.'

'Hm?' He looked up at her.

'I'm going to run you a bath.'

Meredeth kissed the top of his head before removing her favoured green apron and heading to the second floor, knowing he'd follow her up shortly. Sure enough, just as she'd turned off the water, she glanced over and saw he standing in the doorway, towel wrapped around his waist. 'I added those bath salts I know you like to unwind with,' she said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. 'Since you're not going to poker night tonight, we can stay in, watch a movie. Your choice.'

She started to walk past him but he caught her, and gave her a kiss, rubbing his thumb over her cheek. 'Thank you for not pushing me to talk about my day.'

'I figure when you're ready, you will. And if you don't, I know you'll vent to Ryan, which is frustrating sometimes since I keep you warm at night, but I get it.' Meredeth kissed him back, then headed back downstairs.

Esposito slid into the steaming water in the old-fashioned claw-foot tub,. She'd added those fancy oils of hers, judging from the scent of the steam. A deep breath had him inhaling the scent of cucumber before his head went under water. He popped his head out of the water, rested his arms on the sides of the tub as his mind began to drift, not to the case but to Meredeth. He never asked her to do these things nor did he expect it to automatically be done. And yet she did, for the sole reason it would make him feel better, just like he tried to make her feel better with a foot massage and her favourite pizza, when she'd spend long days working with the production staff on the Lady Hawk series. And she never pushed him to discuss it; it was amazing how when he said he wasn't ready to talk about his day, she left it be until he brought it up. She just gave him the time to sort through it himself. Maybe it was because she'd gone through her own trauma, or because she understood that not everyone dealt with things by pouring their hearts out on request, but it did matter. She gave him his space without making it feel like he was being ignored, and he loved her for it.

Twenty minutes later, when his body felt better but his head still felt fuzzy, he was dressed in sweats and headed downstairs to smell not only Meredeth's sweet-potato soup but also the crispy olive oil and boconccini toast she made to go with it. He saw she'd changed from her jeans into her favoured yoga pants and a loose Mets t-shirt, had a bowl of soup at her elbow while she solved some puzzle in the newspaper. When she glanced up, she flashed him a soft smile and he felt himself fall in love with her a little more.

'Sudoku?'

'Crossword. Soup's ready if you want a bowl. If not, I'll break it down and put it in the freezer. You can take it with for lunch tomorrow, unless Ryan and Castle are taking you out for your birthday.'

'Why don't we skip real dinner, stuff ourselves with popcorn, watch _Heroes_ and get a little drunk.'

Meredeth arched an eyebrow; he hated watching _Heroes _with her, called it a cheap X-Men knockoff with too many pretty people whining and not enough action. But she'd seen the look on his face when he'd sat down at the table, and knew today was not a day to question his motives.

'Okay. Go pick a disc.'

'Hey.' Esposito grabbed her around the waist as she stood up to make the popcorn, pulled her close to him and planted a kiss on her. 'I love you.'

'I love you too.'

* * *

By the time he was ready for bed, Esposito finally felt most of the way back to himself. They'd wasted the night on the couch, eating popcorn - some of which was thrown at the screen by his woman when she thought the characters were acting like a bunch of tools - and drinking brass monkeys. He knew she was completely thrown for a loop when he'd suggested one of her favourite shows that he couldn't stand, but he'd wanted more than anything to just watch her reactions to the on-screen story.

When he flopped onto his stomach on their bed, eyelids sunk to half-mast, he wrapped his arms around his goose-down pillow, briefly thought about trying to seduce his girlfriend. She'd been so good to him tonight, the least he could do was give a little of it back, in what he thought was the most pure way to show her just what she meant to him.

He felt the bed shift with her weight, then her hand rest on his back. 'I'm glad we didn't have poker night tonight,' he mumbled, 'not after that day. I just wanted to come home and see you.'

'You guys caught a bad one, huh?'

'Domestic violence gone wrong.' He waited a beat before he spilled out what had been bothering him all night. 'She looked like you.'

'What?' Meredeth propped herself into her elbow as he rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling.

'She looked like you, the woman who was killed. If I hadn't left you in bed here, I swear to God I'd have thought you were dead in someone else's house.'

'Oh, Javi.' Meredeth curled her fingers against his chest over his heart. No wonder he'd been such a zombie when he'd come home. 'I'm right here, alive and well.'

'I know, but...' He dragged a hand over his face in frustration. 'I've never been that scared on a scene before.'

Meredeth sat up, knowing what he needed just now. Reaching under the edge of the bed, she picked up their toy box and pulled out the little jar of coconut oil she used whenever she gave him a massage, relaxing or erotic. 'Turn over.'

'Mere-'

'Just trust me.' When he complied, she tugged his shirt up his torso and she began to rub the sweet fragrant oil into his skin. 'That feel better?'

'Oh yeah.' He groaned in reflex at her touch, buried his face in the pillow. It was something she'd done on their very first sleep-over together and had become one of his top five ways to spend time with her. She worked those magic hands of hers into his back, and he wasn't at all surprised that his body responded to her touch the way it always did whenever she got out that coconut stuff. Before he even said it, she tugged his shirt off the rest of the way and tossed it aside, then kneaded her hands into his shoulders. She slid her hands down to his hips, surprised when he turned to face her and pulled her in for a kiss. Esposito lingered there, tasting the rum and popcorn butter on her lips as he fingered the hair that had fallen over her brow.

'Mere.' He tucked the strand behind her ear.

She didn't let him get any farther than that, as she pressed her mouth to his again. With he sounded like this, she knew exactly what he needed. She sat up, pulled her Mets shirt over her head so she was just in her panties now, stretched herself over top of him as she kissed him again, slow nips at his bottom lip. His strong steady hands ran over her skin, pulling her close. He just wanted to drown in her, completely lose himself in this beautiful woman who with a few simple moves made one of the worst days of his police career bearable.

She'd straddled him, pressed her hands against his stomach as he reared up to pressed his face in that sweet, seductive valley between her breasts, nearly losing his mind when he heard her murmur to him, 'I'm here, Javi, whatever you need. Tell me what you need.'

'Only you.'

He rolled so they were crosswise on the bed, she underneath him, those long soft-fleshed legs tangling with his as he feasted on her. She had freckles in the most interesting places, like little chocolate chips sprinkled here and there over the sweet vanilla cream of her skin. His favourite was the one on her right breast barely an eyelash length from her nipple and he indulged himself by tasting it; her whimper of pleasure was like music for his soul. He ran a trail of hot open-mouthed kisses up her throat and back down again to her other breast before she had time to think. When he felt her dampen against him, Esposito smiled against her skin as he tugged the cute red cotton briefs down her legs, pausing to admire every curve, bump and dimple she thought was ugly and he thought gorgeous, as they were all a part of his Meredeth.

'You're so beautiful, Mere,' he told her, running a hand down her center before letting it rest between her thighs. He watched as her eyes clouded when he plunged his fingers inside without his usual finesse. Her body bucked at the suddenness of it, as he stoked that fire inside her. 'My beautiful Mere.'

'God.' It was a single word, an oath as her head spun. As the wave of the orgasm crested inside her, she popped up on her elbows when she felt his hand slide away.

'Javi-'

'Just getting naked, baby.' He shed off his sweats and his boxers, then blindly reached for his bedside drawer. His fingers closed over the condom pakcet; he ripped it open and rolled it on as quickly as he could. This time when he came back to her, he gripped her hips, lifting them ever so slightly and sank inside her. He heard that oh-so-sexy little gasp she always made whenever he entered her, and like the rest of his moves this time, made no attempt for finesse or style, just let the primal need to be with her, be inside her, take over. He heard her breath catch in her chest as she whispered little demands in his ear, felt her shudder as the orgasm winged into her.

Meredeth felt it blind her, sensation so familiar and always exciting with him swimming through her body as she matched him stroke for intense stroke. Hooking a leg over his hip, she dug her nails into his back as the riptide burst through her, flooding every nerve ending. She struggled for breath as she felt him keep going as the sensation moved into her core, wound like a spring until she came again, dragging him over the edge with her.

Esposito lay sprawled on top of Meredeth, still steeped inside her as they both struggled for breath. Maybe he should have done this when he first got home, he thought absently, then he wouldn't have spent the whole night being edgy and moody.

He felt her shift a little beneath him as she tapped her fingers on his spine. 'Feeling any better?'

'Oh yeah. I think that did it.'

She laughed a little. 'I would say we can try it again, but I'm beat, so you'll have to make do with what you got.'

'What I got was very, very, good,' he told her, punctuating each word with a kiss against her neck. He slid out of her, dropping the used condom into the trash before he stretched onto his side beside her, cuddled her close as she pulled the sheets up over her body. It didn't matter how warm or cold she was, she always slept with some kind of blanket.

'You're not so bad yourself.' Meredeth linked her fingers through his as she began to drift. 'Besides I know you'd return the favour for me if it was the other way around.'

'Of course I would. You're my Meredeth.'

'And you're my Javi.'

He stayed awake for awhile after he'd heard her breathing turn into the deep sighs of slumber. It had ranked in the top ten of his all time shittiest days on the job and by some miracle he'd found a woman who, when he went home, never pressured or cajoled but met him on an even ground as a partner with respect and love. She was his Meredeth, he'd told her, and he knew without a doubt he wanted her to be his Meredeth for good.

* * *

The next morning, before Meredeth was awake to make him his requested birthday omelette and crepes, he sat at the kitchen table for with his laptop to search online for information on engagement rings.

* * *

_ R&R&Enjoy._


	2. The Question And the Answer

'Are you alright?'

Esposito glanced over at Meredeth, who gave him a weird look from her beautiful eyes in the back of the limo. It was The Big Night, in more ways than one, and for his money, his woman had never looked better. She'd gone shopping in Tokyo and was wearing a gorgeous aubergine silk dress with golden dragon accents and matching golden silk ballet flats; her hair was doing that flippy-out-at-the-tips style that made Esposito think of angel wings.

He tugged at the collar of his own new linen shirt, the weight of the jeweller's box hanging heavy in the breast pocket of his silk jacket pocket. Pulling all the extra overtime while Meredeth had been in Japan meant extra dough to spring for a new Italian suit from Castle's personal tailor for tonight.

After all, it was the biggest night of his life. And hers, too; she just didn't know it yet.

'Yeah, just unwinding from a long day, that's all.'

'I know the feeling. I'm still trying to get back onto NYC time, only it's a little trickier when you're technically a time traveler instead of the three hours to California.'

Esposito picked up her hand, threaded his fingers through hers and kissed the back of it lightly. 'Do you know how much I love you?'

'You tell me every day.' Meredeth felt her eyes begin to well up a little, forced it back. She couldn't go into the party with ruined make-up; the fashion police would have a field day with it. 'Ready for your red carpet night?'

'You bet.'

They exited the limo to flashbulbs and shouted questions. Meredeth, being an old hand at this kind of thing, gave her patent broad smile and a polite wave of the hand as she kept an arm looped through his the entire time. When one reporter broached the question of a secret marriage taking place the month before her easy laugh made Esposito's pulse jump and dance wildly.

'Not true at all. It's something we've talked about but nothing is happening yet.'

As soundbites went, Esposito knew the info-tainment journalist would have the best one for the eleven o'clock news.

They made it into the main reception room, making Esposito goggle. He'd lived in New York his whole life and had rarely stepped into the Waldorf when at the 54th, and even then it was always through the service entrance. Crystal gleamed, voices murmured in hushed tones and the air was thick with the heady scent of amaryllis, which happened to be one of Meredeth's favourite flowers. He'd made sure of that, just like he'd made sure that the guest list was strictly private and Robina had been good as her word - only friends, family and the requisite colleagues were here for this one.

'Oh, wow, this is something else,' Meredeth breathed, looking around. She was thankful she could take a break from the big parties she'd been to in Japan, and the previous launch party for her book had been nothing short of a circus. But then, they'd made the anouncement about the miniseries prior to that one so it was expected to have been something large and grandiose. Tonight, she looked around and saw nothing but familiar faces - everyone from the Twelfth was there, Constance and Terrence were there, Cam and Lili, even Rosalita and Alejandro had made it.

'This is exactly what I wanted. Thanks for making sure Robina got it right, babe.'

'It's an important night, I wanted all the details taken care of for you. Hey, there's Ryan and Honey-Milk.'

Meredeth glanced over, saw the new parents beaming as they walked over; Ryan looked dapper in his dark suit and Honey-Milk in a cute green dress that left no room for squabbling on whether or not she was breastfeeding. 'You made it! How'd you get out of the house so quickly?'

'Well, it wasn't easy leaving Dell with Jenny's brother but I managed to pull her away with minimal tears, ' Ryan replied, snagging a canape from a passing waiter.

'Right.' Meredeth nodded along, as she saw Honey-Milk mouth _not me, all him _behind her husband's back. 'Are Beckett and Castle here yet?'

'Yeah they're over there with Lanie and Martha.' When Meredeth headed off to get a drink, Ryan kept his eyes on Esposito's face. 'You all set for tonight big guy?'

'Yeah, I think so.'

'You worked on your little speech?'

'I did.'

Ryan pursed his lips and nodded as he people watched, noting the way Beckett and Lanie exchanged glances after Meredeth greeted them on her way to the bar and shook her head. They were going to ruin everything if they couldn't keep it together.

'When is the question set to be popped?'

'In about-' Esposito checked his watch '-fifteen minutes.'

'Good luck.'

* * *

At eight pm, when the launch was officially supposed to get underway, Meredeth found herself so overwhelmed with faces everything was starting to blur together into one gigantic mass of colour and scents. Fighting her way out of the crowd to stand at the center of the room while a discreet assistant passed Esposito a mini- microphone to clip to his shirt, she took his hand in hers and wasn't surprised to find it clammy. Esposito could handle the toughest bad-asses New York could drum up but public speaking made him sweat bullets. Her heart leapt into her throat as she saw that whole gang from the Twelfth precinct had gathered to be front and center; of course they'd support him like that...or mock him if he gaffed in his speech.

With a reassuring squeeze of his hand, she whispered to him, 'You can do it.'

Whatever nerves he'd felt leading up to this moment evaporated with that single line of encouragement from her. Clearing his throat, Esposito turned on the microphone and took the plunge. 'Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the official launch of _Lady Hawk: Confessions_. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Detective Javier Esposito and I'm the guy Meredeth kicks out of bed, particularly when our dog needs to hit the curb at four in the morning.'

There was only laughter, which made Meredeth's heart beat quicken. He was a funny guy but she hadn't expected him to open with such a personal joke. Still it drew in the human interest of the press, she supposed, as she was very picky about which reporters got what details. She smiled, shook her head as Esposito continued.

'When I found out that Meredeth was dedicating this work to me, it got me thinking, how can I tell her what she means to me the way she's done by telling me I'm her inspiration for her passion in life. And I realized there really was only one way to do that.'

Beyond confused now, Meredeth watched as he blew out a breath, switched off his mike and turned to face her. Her brain had about three milliseconds to register the sudden change-of-script move when he got down on one knee in front of her, still holding her hand. Her heart gave one great leap against her ribs as the light dawned and she felt her mouth drop open in shock, the power of speech having escaped her.

'Mere there aren't enough words to tell you how much I love you so I thought maybe this might do it.' He pulled the box from his jacket pocket, opened the lid to reveal the beautiful ring, its diamonds fashioned into a starburst flower. Tears of joy and surprise began to slide down her cheeks as she pressed her hand to her mouth.

'Oh, baby. Javi.'

Now there was a wobble in his voice, but he'd damn well get the words out. 'Will you, Meredeth Dakkars Coleman, do me the tremendous honour of being my wife?'

Meredeth stared in blank shock at him before the words exploded out of her in a great shout of ecstasy. 'Of course I will, you idiot!'

Esposito swallowed deeply to hold back the tears clogging his own throat as he slid the ring onto Meredeth's finger with an absolute perfect fit. He got to his feet - and staggered back three steps as his newly-minted fiancee threw herself into his arms, planting a whopping kiss on his mouth. He kissed her back with just as much enthusiasm, his arms wrapped tightly around her as he swept her off her feet on a small spin. Around him the room had errupted in cheers and applause; he distantly heard Castle and Ryan yelling, 'Way to go, Esposito! That's my boy!'

When he managed to unglue his mouth from hers, he laughed as he felt her shudder, laughing herself as she swiped delicately at her eyes.

'Bet you didn't see that coming tonight, did you?'

'Not at all.'

'And there's more.'

'More?'

'You know my sister works here in accounting, right? She got us a suite for the night.'

Meredeth's eyes dried instantly, popped wide. 'Are you serious?'

'Yeah. Lanie put together an overnight bag for you and Castle's picking up our room service tab.' He kissed her lightly. 'You want a few minutes to go check your make-up?'

'Oh no, it's fine, I'm sure someone has a compact in their purse.' She snorted a laugh, clapped her hands to her mouth. 'We're getting married!'

'You bet your fine juicy booty we are.' Holding her hand tightly, he turned to face the crowd, turned his mike back on. 'So as you can guess, she said yes. Thanks everyone and enjoy the party.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	3. The Unexpected Engagement Party

Laughter and applause rang out again as the crowd of people began to move in now, the first and foremost being the gang from the 12th. Meredeth quickly found herself enveloped in a group hug from them which nearly had her tearing up again.

'Congratulations, girl! Let's see that ice!' Lanie grabbed her friend's hand, brushed a thumb over the ring. 'Damn, that is one hell of a ring!'

'You two are going to be so happy together.' Now it was Beckett's turn to hug Meredeth. She pulled her detective's fiancee in for a tight embrace. 'We've been so excited since we found out he was planning this.'

Meredeth's brow furrowed in delighted confusion. 'How long did you guys know?'

'We found out about before you got back from Japan. Esposito was carrying around a little picture of the ring in his pocket and we would have all been surprised about if Ryan hadn't busted him in the break-room.'

'The guy knows how to keep something a surprise, that's for damn sure,' Castle added, giving Esposito a hug. 'You did good, Detective.'

'And the only way it stayed a surprise was because I didn't tell-'

Esposito was interrupted when he saw Meredeth give a little lurch forward as a pair of vise-like arms wrap around her waist from behind that could only belong to one person. 'Hi Lili.'

'You're getting married! And you didn't tell me!' Lili had released Meredeth from her grip to pound on her brother. 'And neither did Mami! Oh I could just kill you both!' Lili's voice was full of passion as she spun Meredeth around and hugged her again. 'Congratulations, _cunada futura_, which you officially are now!'

'I'm officially your _cunada futura_ now?'

'Yes.' Lili bobbed her head as Cam came over with her drink. 'It's Spanish for future sister-in-law.'

'Didn't you call me that the first time we met?'

Lili giggled, sipped her whiskey sour. 'I'm going to find my mother and give her a piece of my mind, and it looks like you've got another incoming.'

Esposito looked over the top of his sister's head, saw Constance sailing over with Terrence in tow. 'Will there be waterworks?' he asked Meredeth.

'Oh yeah.'

Sure enough, by the time the retired lawyer and her companion reached the happy couple, Esposito could see that Constance's always impeccable make-up was blotchy and smudged, her eyes red-rimmed and filling up again as she took her granddaughter in her arms and sniffed grandly.

'My baby, my _pige_, you're getting married! Oh, if your mother could see this!'

'I know, Momo, I know, it sucks she isn't here,' Meredeth replied in a low voice, knowing it would set her off if she spoke any louder. She didn't often think of those moments anymore, as she knew it would drive her mad to think of everything her mother hadn't gotten to see in her life, but this one made her ache just a little inside. Then it was gone as quickly as it came when Constance added, 'I had no idea he had this in mind when he called and asked for you hand two months ago!'

At this, Meredeth looked over and stared at her fiance - and how frosty was _that_ to say - as her poor surprised heart got another shock. 'You did that?'

'Of course I did.' Esposito unwound Constance's arms from around Meredeth and gave her a kiss on the cheek. 'I'm not a caveman.'

'Congratulations to you both.' Finally able to get a word in, Terrence stepped forward to give Meredeth a kiss on each cheek and shook Esposito's hand. He had the rugged look of someone who enjoyed year-round sailing and the voice of a cigar aficionado. 'I wish you a lifetime of happiness together.'

'Oh, there's no worries of that.'

Esposito turned around, saw Ryan standing there with a trio of glasses of champagne, two of which he passed to himself and Meredeth. He tried to shake his head to get Ryan to close his mouth but it was to no avail as he barreled on, 'The way these two keep each other happy, I'm surprised they haven't broke the bed-frame. What?' he added tactlessly when he saw Meredeth blush red as the flowers in the room, Esposito swig down his champagne and the well-dressed woman behind them press her fingers to her mouth in an obvious attempt to keep in a laugh.

Esposito cleared his throat. 'Ryan, I don't believe you've met. This is Constance Dakkars, Meredeth's grandmother. Constance, the master of bad timing and my partner, Detective Kevin Ryan.'

'Oh, crap,' was all Ryan could come up with as he realized his gaff as Constance shook his hand. 'I'm terribly sorry, you know he has nothing but respect and love for you granddaughter, and-'

'Calm down, Detective, I know these two are grown ups and like grown up things,' Constance replied with a smile. 'Just as I know they won't be so alert at brunch tomorrow because they'll be celebrating in more private settings most of the night.'

'Momo.' Now Meredeth's face went from pink to crimson; it never failed to make her squeamish whenever her grandmother brought up her sex life, even though they both knew she had one. At least she could see Esposito's face go just as red along with hers this time. 'Anything else you care to add, Ryan?'

'No, just came by to give you guys a drink and tell you Esposito's parents want to say congratulations, too.'

Esposito set his now-empty glass aside, nearly asked Ryan to get him a double dark-n-stormy, then remembered Constance's little comment about celebrating the entire night and knew alcohol wouldn't help him out there. Instead he took Meredeth's hand in his and nodded at his future in-laws. 'Thanks again for coming, but we have to go see my parents.'

'Oh of course, we'll see you tomorrow.'

Esposito tugged Meredeth through the crowd, over to where his parents were standing with Lili and Cam. Rosalita instantly cut off her conversation with her son-in-law when she saw the two of them approach. Like Constance, her make-up was also on the point of ruin; she'd started using cocktail napkins to dab at her eyes, as her own handkerchief was sopping wet and useless now.

'My boy,' was all she could manage as she pulled him in for a tight embrace. 'Oh, you told me you had it planned and I was still surprised.'

'And some of us were just surprised,' Alejandro added, his voice gruff in such a way that Esposito knew he was fighting to keep his emotions in check. 'Why you didn't tell me and your mama together?'

At this Lili rolled her eyes. 'Daddy, please. You know if they'd told you, you'd have told me and the whole night would have been shot to shit. It sucks but you know it's true.'

'Why would you choose such a public way to do this, though?' Rosalita asked, moving on to hug Meredeth tightly. 'I'd have thought you would have a nice romantic evening alone, just the two of you alone?'

'I thought of that, then I thought, we're having this party, everyone important to us will be here and looking fancy, why not make it a double-header? And that way, they'd still have a surprise even though they knew I was going to ask her.' Esposito slid his hand into Meredeth's, gave her such a smile she nearly slid to the floor in a puddle.

'Look at you, Mister Planner.' Meredeth squeezed his hand tightly. She knew she wasn't at her most eloquent right now, but really, did anyone expect her to be after getting the shock of her life when her Javi, who was petrified of public speaking, got down on bended knee in front of all their friends and family? 'Guess you had plenty keeping you busy while I was away.'

'Don't let us keep you, I'm sure you've got plenty of other things to do tonight,' Lili said with a viciously wicked grin. 'Mere, let's have lunch next week, you and me and Mami, okay? We can talk about ideas for the wedding.'

'You got it.'

Esposito steered Meredeth away from his family before his sister and mother could start planning the whole she-bang in a single evening. 'Man, this is going to be some ride,' he began, then stopped when he heard a voice come through the speakers.

'Good evening everyone, I'm Robina Kelley, Meredeth's agent. I know most of us came here to celebrate the launch of the new book, but we're also here to celebrate the engagement of its author, Meredeth. This might be a bit unorthodox but I've asked our lovely string ensemble to play us a song in the hopes that we might give the happy couple a first dance of many to come.'

The music started up, in a plucky tune that had Meredeth giggling. 'Are you kidding me? Did you plan this one too?'

'Nope,' Esposito looked around, saw Castle and Ryan giving him a thumbs up, returned the gesture. 'Care to dance?'

'Sure.'

He led her onto the impromptu dance floor as the nattily dressed strings ensemble that had been providing lilting chamber music the entire night was now playing a song just for them. As he circled with her in his arms, he realized he might have to invest in a few dance lessons for his wedding day. 'So did I tell you today how much I love you?'

Meredeth only laughed as they continued to dance to the violin-and-cello rendition of 'And Then He Kissed Me'. 'Yes, I believe you did. And I love you too.'

* * *

_ R&R&Enjoy._


	4. The Night Together

When Meredeth's part at the party had died down, a quick nudge to her agent was all it took to let the party-goers know that she would be calling it a night. Pretty much everyone knew that it was a thinly veiled excuse to spend some private time with her new fiance and celebrate. Once in the suite , Meredeth felt her eyes well up all over again: the curved table in the suite's foyer was a bucket of champagne and fruit basket, along with a little note saying 'Congrats Javier and Meredeth' and a bouquet of tulips in candy colours. Walking into the bedroom, she saw more tulips in vases all around the room along with candles waiting to be lit, and their bags unpacked into the drawers already for them, except for one item. Meredeth recognized the black lace baby doll lying on the bed immediately as the one she'd worn for him on their one-month anniversary.

He came up behind her, ran his hands down her body. 'I wanted to take that off of you again,' he said, pressed his lips against the curve of her neck.

'Then let me go put it on.'

As she went to change Esposito took off his belt, his socks and shoes, then wandered to the entertainment unit and pondered some mood-setting music when she stuck her head out of the doorway. 'You ready for this?'

'Almost.' He stripped off his tie, stretched out on the bed to face her as she came in. He felt his blood rush into his lap as she opened the door and came out almost shyly in the black lingerie, complete with the thigh-high stockings attached to the matching garter-belt. As she came closer to him, he swung his feet to the floor, pleased when she came over and straddled his legs. He ran his hands over her silk-clad thighs, over the thin lacy garter straps before he unfastened them one at a time, then reached around to undo the garter belt itself and toss it over his shoulder. When he looked up at her, he saw the glint in her eyes as she bit her lip in that devastatingly sexy way that told him she couldn't wait for more.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he picked her up, twisted and lowered her to the bed; his hands went back to her legs as he slowly peeled off one stocking all the way down, then the other. He lowered his mouth to hers, nipping once, twice, before sinking into the kiss; he wanted to show her just how much he loved her. He caught her bottom lip with his teeth, just enough to make her sigh, as he danced his tongue overs hers. Her body arched against his; he felt his skin begin to heat as her fine-boned hands ran down the length of his back, un-tucked his shirt and roamed over him.

Meredeth closed her eyes, sighed deeply as her mouth fused to his. No matter how many different ways they did it, the thrill of touching her man, her Javi, never faded. She shifted so he was nestled between her thighs, as he moved from her mouth down her neck, over her jaw and gave her ear lobe a little nip. Concentrating her energy, she rolled so that she was on top and began flipping open the buttons of his shirt.

'First you,' she murmured as she slid the fine linen away from his body, giving him goosebumps before she unzipped his pants. 'Now me.'

She ran her hands over her arms, slid one strap of lace away from her shoulder, then the other one. Taking one of his hands off her hips, she rubbed his fingertips over her lips and guided them over her breast until they slid just under the edge of the lace. She let her head fall back as he flipped open the hook-and-eye, drew the lace away from her body.

This time, it was Esposito who rolled so he was on top of her. He pressed his hand to her cheek, brushed a thumb over her lips and felt a little chill as she ran her tongue over its pad. A flick of her eyebrow let him know exactly what she wanted: he moved his hand down over her breast, rubbed the thumb she'd licked over her nipple. She arched against him, a strangled moan in her throat. Repeating the process, he scraped his other thumb over her other breast and nearly lost his mind when she arched up so she nearly bent double. He kissed his way over the valley between those glorious swells, one of his favourite spots on her body, before he took her breast into his mouth. He groaned when he felt the wicked heat between her thighs rub against him; instead of satisfying himself right there, he moved his mouth to her other breast, rolled the pebble of her nipple with his tongue and rejoiced in her breathy moans.

Meredeth loved when he suckled at her; she ran her fingers over his temples to the back of his head to keep him there just a few minutes more. When he moved back up to her mouth, she lay there for a few moments to let the sensations sink in as he stood up to finish undressing and the two condoms from his wallet and put them on the bedside table before turned his attention back to his beautiful Meredeth. Running his hands over the curve of her stomach, down to the edges of her panties, he simply stretched out on top of her and reveled in that beautiful, lush body of hers that blushed and trembled amazingly under his hand. Starting at her lips he traced his index finger down the curve of her jaw, her neck, over her breast and the still-hard nipple, down her torso to the freckle beside her navel, down even further until he had to shift so he could run even further down her body to that sensitive little nub between her thighs. He watched as her eyes glazed over when he found it, heard her heart pick up pace when he slid that finger back a little farther until he found the source of the heat and sank in. Esposito felt himself harden to iron as she let out a breath little 'oh' of delight.

Meredeth arched against his hand, pulled him in for a desperate kiss, moaning in his ear how good it felt. She knew he would stay there until she came, but tonight she didn't want that.

'I want you inside me,' she whispered.

'I am.'

'Not that part of you.'

Esposito reached for the condom, but once he'd ripped the packet open, she grabbed his wrist. 'Let me?' she asked with such sweetness it nearly undid him. With a nod, he propped himself on his elbows above her as she rolled the latex sheath over him, then taking him in her hand, helped guide him inside her. She arched her hips against his, murmuring, 'Take it slow,' as he began to move inside her.

Though his body begged him to go faster, Esposito place a hand between Meredeth's shoulderblades and sat up, bringing her with him so they knelt, joined together, his hands pulling her tight against him as he took his time enjoying her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, his loving so intense and sweet Meredeth thought she would explode. His mouth found hers, swallowed her cry of ecstasy as lights burst inside her eyelids when the orgasm swept through her body. As they tumbled back to the pillows of the bed, he moved his hands to brace himself on the bed, levering himself up just enough to make her cry out at the changed angle. He drove himself deep inside her, a move he knew would cause her pleasure that would border on momentary pain, and nearly pulled back until he heard her moan, 'God, Javi, don't stop.'

'No.' Taking her at her word, he changed the rhythm so this time the pace wasn't romantic but lustful, each thrust driving both of them towards delirium. She cried out that she was coming, and as she did, Esposito closed his eyes as he covered her mouth with his and let the orgasm flood through him.

He lay on top of her, feeling as though he'd run a marathon. He didn't want to move a muscle; he could have happily spent an eternity there with the scent of Meredeth's skin dewed from good sex on his nose and the sound of her heart trying to come down from the orgasmic bpm's he'd driven her to. She was running those fine fingers of his over his neck as she murmured happily, 'I love you Javi.'

'Love you too, Mere.' He sat up to dispose of the condom before flopping down on top of her again.

'That was definitely a few new tricks. You trading stories with Ryan and Castle?'

'Actually, I downloaded a couple chapters of the Kama Sutra to my ipod, listened to it while I was lifting weights in the precinct gym.'

Meredeth tilted her head. 'You're kidding.'

'That first one, I learned about that doing bench presses.' He started to laugh until he felt her shudder; turning his head to look at her, he saw a few tears slide out of her eyes. Immediately he propped himself to his elbows and studied her face. 'Mere?'

'It's just...this has been the most romantic night of my life. Everything has been just so wonderful.'

'Oh, babe.' Esposito reached out his hand, rubbed away the tears from the corners of her eyes before rolling to the side and pulling her into a tight embrace. 'No tears tonight, happy or otherwise.'

Meredeth laughed, felt them dry up. He always knew how to pull her back from the edge of emotional overload. 'I feel like having some of that champagne now.'

Esposito went to retrieve the silver ice bucket with its chilled bottle of Dom Perignon, and knowing his fiancee - finally, after nearly three months of anticipating, he could say that - brought the fruit with him as well. As he walked back in, he felt his heart stop for a moment when he saw her stretched on her stomach and perusing the room service menu. He watched the diamonds on her hand winking in the light of the table lamp, as she smiled that little giddy smile she had when she was so happy she didn't know what to do with herself.

He set the basket of fruit on the foot of the bed, carefully opened the champagne bottle. 'Thought we'd have a little snack, you know fuel for the body,' he told her with a wink as he filled a flute, passed it to her. Watching her sip bubbling wine, he suddenly had a fantasy of pouring it over her body and licking it off every ounce of her soft fragrant skin. Instead, he bit into a strawberry with gusto while she selected a ripe peach. He heard her little appreciative sigh and was thankful they'd just finished having sex so he couldn't tackle her to the bed and taste the fresh fruit on her lips.

'So, Mister Full of Surprises Tonight, have you given any thought to the date?'

'I have. I was thinking the end of summer, like Labor Day weekend?'

'That could definitely work.' It would mean that most of his colleagues who would be either in the wedding or attending would be either off the roll or on holiday skeleton crew. 'Still really nice weather but not so hot everyone wants to peel their skin just to take off an extra layer. What date would that be?'

Meredeth did a mental calculation. 'The thirtieth of August.'

'It's a date.' He clinked glasses with her, watched as a tiny drip of wine escaped the corner of her mouth. Moving the fruit and the wine glasses out of the way, he crawled over to her and pressed his lips to her chin where the wine had flowed down, the tangy taste overlaying her skin. He pulled her close, just holding her against his body; the blissful peace didn't last long as she asked him, 'You download anything else from the Kama Sutra?'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	5. The First Idea

'You all set for today?'

'Sure, why wouldn't I be?'

'Most women would be nervous about a lunch with their future mother- and sister-in-law.'

Meredeth poked her head out from around the shower curtain of the ensuite, watched him finish shaving for the morning. 'I'm not most women. Besides, I won't have to do much talking because I know how it's going to play out. They'll have all their ideas planned and mapped out, I'll nod politely and text you 'save me' messages, then we'll plan things how we want them.'

'Lucky me, I'm marrying I a clairvoyant.' Esposito rinsed his razor, then patted his face dry. 'So, who's going to be my perp when I catch a case today?'

'Easy. The one-armed man on the grassy knoll who fired the third bullet before he was abducted by UFOs.'

'Smart-ass.'

Meredeth smiled, retreated behind the shower curtain to rinse the shampoo foam from her hair. 'And you love me for it.'

'Yes I do.'

'I've been thinking about one important thing, though.'

'Yeah?'

'Don't let Castle go overboard planning your bachelor party, mmm-kay?'

'Why ever would you think Richard Castle would go overboard planning something like that?' Esposito reached for his aftershave as the shower curtain zipped back and he tossed Meredeth her towel. 'He's an altar boy, a real Niles Crane. We gotta get him out more and loosen him up.'

'Loosen, my foot. I can't imagine the shenanigans he got you three up to when he had one for Ryan, and quite frankly, I don't want to know.'

Esposito replaced the bottle. 'He didn't get to, remember? Ryan and Jenny kind-of eloped, if you can call being married in the hospital chapel eloping. The closest he got to doing anything was throwing them a wedding reception at his apartment and then giving them a honeymoon to Ireland for two weeks.' He paused as the reality of that sank in for himself. He remembered how afronted he and Castle had been when Ryan had deprived them of that joy the man's rite of passage. 'Which means I'll probably get a double-dose of Richard Castle pre-wedding party-time.'

'Like I said, overboard.'

'Well fair's fair, in regards to my sister.'

'Oh?' Meredeth stepped out of the tub, wrapped the towel around her breasts.

'Let's just say Lili knows how to give someone a send off into married life.'

'I'll keep that mind mind.'

'No, I mean she really does.' Esposito kissed his fiancee - the novelty of calling Meredeth that still hadn't worn off - then went to dress for the day. 'Our cousin Josephina's bachelorette, they went to ladies' night at a strip club and stuck Life-savers to the bride's shirt and had guys eating them off. And that was before they started the drinking games.'

'Yeah, Suck-A-Bucks, I've done those.'

Esposito turned from the closet, suit in hand. 'Oh?'

'Yeah, you know Anna and Christine who we stayed with in San Francisco, we did that for Anna's bachelorette, and for Chin's sister-in-law, and with Kristof's wife Hilde.'

He nodded, then rolled his eyes when his cell rang. 'Esposito. Yeah, I'm five minutes from leaving my place. Got it. Okay, see you in five. Ryan, we've got a scene down on Bleecker Street, he's picking me up in five,' he explained when he hung up. 'Gimme one for good luck.'

Meredeth walked over, gave him a kiss. 'Now give me one for good luck.'

'See, I knew you were a little freaked out.'

* * *

At twelve-fifteen Meredeth arrived at Greystone, a little lunch spot half-way between the Salamander Bakery and the Waldorf so neither Esposito woman would be too far from her place of business during a work-day. As it was mostly a terrace-space bistro and a gorgeous end of August summer day, eating outside made everything seem a little fresher. As the hostess escorted Meredeth to the table, she saw that Lili was there alone talking on her cellphone.

'No, no, the John-_son_ account is on Visa, the John-_stone_, S-T-O-N-E is an Expedia package. Have Felix run the accounts just to double-check if you think I'm wrong. See? I'm always right. Have to run, see you in an hour.'

Lili hung up the phone, tipped her sunglasses to her head. 'There the bride to be! Mami called, she's running a little late, which is perfect because I have a little gift for you.'

She passed Meredeth a small box wrapped in silver paper, grinned when Meredeth ripped into it and blushed deep red. 'Something to add to the Christmas present I got for you two.'

'Lili, not that I don't appreciate it, because I do,' Meredeth replied, examining the box of edible massage oils, 'but why do you always give me things to keep my love life interesting?'

'I know what it's like to love a man in a difficult profession, and I know that having a healthy sex life goes a long way to alleviating marital stress, not to mention keeps you both hungry for more from each other.'

Meredeth thought of the night Esposito had come home after the domestic violence case in April, the way she'd given him a massage with the coconut oil they liked which had turned into passionate lovemaking and he'd told her it had hit the spot. 'Well, these look like fun. Birthday cake?' she added with a chuckled as she read the box contained french vanilla, sweet cake, white chocolate and dark chocolate flavours.

'I was debating between the fruit and the chocolate ones, then I thought, who am I kidding, it's my brother. He loves his chocolate.'

'That he does,' Rosalita chipped in, as she walked up to the table, a large gift bag in her hand. 'Hello my dear.'

'Hi Rosalita.'

'You have ordered your meals?'

'Not yet, we were waiting for you.' Lili flagged down a waitress; they ordered and when the server had left, poked the gift bag with a finger. 'More presents for you, it looks like.'

'Something I wished I'd had when we were planning your wedding, Lili. Of course, _that_ woman insisted on everything her way so...' Rosalita breathed deeply. Now was not the time to relive the debacles she'd had with her daughter's mother-in-law over wedding preparations, even if she knew Felicity George was the devil in the flesh. 'Anyways, we thought this might make it easier.'

Meredeth reached in, pulled out a three-inch, three-ring binder. It was covered in sparkly blue and white fabric and across the front, it read 'Meredeth and Javier's Wedding Binder.' She flipped open the cover, saw the matching blue and white dividers had all been labelled - Dress Ideas, Flowers, Caterers, Photography, Music, even a Bachelor and Bachelorette Party tab. 'It's perfect. I haven't even thought about this stuff.'

'Seriously? We came here thinking you could fill this book before the check came,' Lili said, sincerely surprised as their salads were served.

'Well, I wasn't expecting him to propose so soon. Maybe around Christmas or New Years, but last week..it just took my breath away. I didn't really have time to think about the whole fantasy wedding with him, either, with the miniseries production and then going to Japan for the Book Festival, not to mention Ryan and Honey-Milk having their baby three weeks early.'

'I know it's been busy, and you'll have a lot to do.' Rosalita shook pepper onto her mixed greens with poppy-seed dressing. 'Mostly, I wanted to have this lunch with you, just to let you know one thing. I have no intention or plan to make you have the wedding my way. In fact there is only one request.'

'Oh?'

'I would like the priest from our church, Father Paolo, to perform the ceremony. Javi was his first baptism when he came to our parish, and he baptized Lili, did their First Communions and their Confirmations too, and he did the mass for Lili's ceremony. Javi mentioned you're not particularly defined in terms of religion, and I know it would mean a lot to him.'

'I'll have to discuss it with him, but I'll definitely keep it in mind.' Meredeth paused as she nudged the black olives around on her plate. 'Actually, I lied. There is one thing I've thought of.'

'Oh?' With avid interest, Lili and Rosalita both leaned forward. The first bit of wedding planning was always something to be cherished.

'Where to have the ceremony. I always thought it'd be very cool to get married at Bethesda Terrace, in Central Park.'

'What made you think of that?'

'Well...no, it's silly.'

'It's not silly if it means something to you,' Lili pointed out.

'I suppose.' Meredeth paused to sip her water. 'My favourite movie is _The Producers_, the one with Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, and one of the best scenes takes place at the Bethesda Terrace fountain. I don't know...it just feels like it'd be good luck to marry the love of my life there. But if you want Father Paolo to do the service-'

'He is always amenable to the wishes of the couple,' Rosalita reassured her. 'One of Lili and Javi's cousins, he got married in Central Park too, and Father Paolo did a nearly full mass right there on the green.'

'Well, then.' Meredeth opened the binder to the 'Ceremony' tab, saw there were some blank pages already in there, and on the first page wrote _Location - Bethesda Terrace?_.

'Congrats, _cunada futura_.' Lili reached over, patted her hand. 'You just started planning your wedding.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	6. The Poker Game

When Esposito got home after work, he wasn't at all surprised to find Meredeth in the kitchen chopping onions and peppers as she chatted on the phone. She gave him a wavethen as he poured himself a glass of water, then slumped on one of the bar stools by the kitchen counter. It was poker night, and he was more than a little excited about it - they were having a guy's night only at Castle's and inviting Lanie's boyfriend Dave to join - and Meredeth had promised him mean-drunk jerk chicken to take with him for the boys to snack on.

'That sounds fantastic. No, we'd love to baby-sit for you. Of course you should, it's your first anniversary. Absolutely. Bye-bye.'

Esposito glanced up at the word _baby-sit_, as Meredeth hung up the phone and poured the diced vegetables into a one-quart measuring cup. 'And who are we playing crash-test parents for?'

'It's Ryan and Jenny's anniversary on the third, and the doctor gave Jenny the all-clear so she and Ryan are spending a romantic night together at the Marriott. I offered to baby-sit for them, so I said we'd look after Dell.'

'I thought you and I were going out Saturday night too.'

'Were we? Did I forget about plans we already had?'

'Oh, damn it.' Esposito closed his eyes; he'd been so occupied by work that day he'd forgotten to tell her on his lunch break that he'd scored tickets to a concert that night. 'I forgot to tell you when I called you on my break. Gil got me two tickets this morning to see Down in Ashes at Circle Square Park.'

'Oh damn. Why don't we give them to the couple celebrating the anniversary? Add something to their night out.'

'Because Ryan and Honey-Milk don't appreciate Canadian rock bands like you and I do, my sweet. Speaking of sweets, though, I got a number for a possible caterer for the wedding from Karpowski.'

'Oh?' She loathed that it had happened, but since Rosalita had given her the planning binder the week before at lunch, Meredeth's radar went up every time she heard the word 'wedding'.

'Yeah, but it depends where we have it, right? Hotel or reception hall, all that? If we're not getting married until next August, where do we even start with everything?'

'I was doing some reading today and I found this website that had a wedding planning checklist, and it says nine to twelve months before, we should be researching and planning the big stuff first, which seems kind of backwards, but it really does take that long.'

Meredeth went to the cupboard, got out the rum and pineapple schnapps and poured triple shots of each over the vegetables. 'So by about the end of November, Thanksgiving-ish, we should have our budget, our venue for the ceremony and reception, our officiant, a preliminary guest list, a colour scheme, my dress, and make sure our passports are up to date.'

'Gimme one of those shots of rum, I think it'd make my head spin less,' Esposito joked.

'I still don't have a clear idea yet of what I want, but I know what I don't want. I don't want a big cupcake dress with a huge floofy veil and a train so long it could make another dress, and I don't want a big fancy to-do ceremony with people I barely know watching us exchange our vows, then getting drunk at an open bar reception so our liquor tab costs as much as the honeymoon.'

'Agreed. I'm sure Mami told you this but Father Paolo is more then amenable to doing a ceremony outside the church, if that's what we want.'

Meredeth gave him a considering look as she pulled out jars of dried spices, measure and blended them. 'Any thoughts on where to have the ceremony?'

'I don't want it in the church. I know I'm a semi-good Catholic, but I don't attend Mass or confession on a regular basis so it'd feel a little hypocritical to get married at San Gabriel's.' He paused, pursed his lips. 'What about somewhere in Central Park? It'll be nice and green, and the lighting in mid afternoon is beautiful for photographs. Plus we're right there, we wouldn't have to worry about moving the wedding party and people to a different location somewhere in town.'

'I was thinking Bethesda Terrace, by the fountain.'

A flash of himself standing by the fairy-tale fountain with his ushers and watching Meredeth come down the famous red-stone steps with her bridesmaids in glowing bridal white had him smiling. 'I think that sounds perfect.'

'Okay, we've got ourselves a place for our date. Now come give me a hand rubbing the chicken.'

* * *

Poker night was, as promised, a guy's night only - Castle, Ryan, Esposito, the Captain and first-timer Dave. The air was rich with the scent of cigar smoke as they drank scotch and pushed around the chips and cards on the table. Ryan it seemed was having a hot streak and had won eight out of the first ten hands; his usual bad luck frown was now a greedy smirk as he stacked his winnings into little towers in front of him.

'Must be the new daddy glow rubbing off,' Castle commented. 'Jenny going to be alright with you smoking these here then going home to Dell?'

'Brought a change of fresh clothes with me, I'll toss these in the laundry soon as I get home.'

'I could make all kinds of whipped jibes at you, but I'm saving them for the guy who's next to put on the shackle.'

Esposito shook his head, dragged on the cigar. 'And so it begins.'

'Marriage isn't a shackle, Castle.' Montgomery sipped his Scotch as he shuffled cards. 'Just because you've missed the mark twice doesn't mean the rest of us did. Besides, you're only, what, thirty-nine? That's like the new eighteen, plenty of time.'

'Hey, let me ask you something, sir.' Esposito glanced at his cards, tossed them in; there was no way he'd do anything with a red two and a black ten. 'When you and Elizabeth got married, did you guys share the planning or was it all her?'

'We shared it, though since it was her parents paying for it, they got their way a _lot_. But it was different times then. You and Meredeth are already starting to get ideas?'

'Actually, we've decided on a date and where we're having the ceremony.'

'Do tell.' Ryan flicked ashes into the Lalique dish serving as an ash-tray. 'Anything's more romantic than a hospital chapel.'

'August thirtieth, at Bethesda Terrace in Central Park, with my family parish priest Father Paolo presiding over the ceremony.'

'Sounds very romantic,' Castle said in his dry but gentle tone that told the table he wasn't bullshitting or being a jerk. 'Is that the first major decision you two have made on the wedding?'

'It is.'

'Well unless you're marrying one of those _Real Housewives of _...wherever, be prepared that she's expecting you to be involved with everything. I got a swift dose of reality when Hannah was planning ours,' Dave told him; it was easier to talk about Hannah now, especially having Lanie in his life. 'Still gives me nightmares.'

Castle slapped him on the shoulder. He'd spent the most time with Dave out of all the men at the table and knew it wasn't an ex-wife he spoke of, but the one he'd lost to a collision with a semi-truck three years prior. 'That's very enlightened of you, Robbins, but you're in the minority. Most guys are more than happy to leave those details up to the bride. Keeping the woman happy from day one.'

'I do want to be involved though, it is as much my day as hers, isn't it?' Esposito looked around the table for support.

'You're right.' Montgomery sipped his drink. 'Contrary to what every movie, TV show and Castle says,' he said, eliciting laughs from the table, 'it is a day for both of you to celebrate so both of you need to be involved. It'll be hard because you are a cop and your job is time-consuming but she's worth it, so you'll pull through.'

'Best thing you can do is get yourself like two or three big things you're in charge of, things you're good at, like food or music or something,' Dave offered. 'Or the photographer.'

'Or the tailor. He set you up pretty well for the engagement, didn't he? He does tuxedo rentals too. You still have his card?'

'Yep.'

'Oh, flowers, tell her she can't go wrong with white roses. Jenny had a little bunch of white roses when we said our vows, they were very sweet,' Ryan added for good measure. 'I know Meredeth's not exactly a blushing white bride, not with the way you two get romantic, but they'll add to the whole lady in white of the day.'

Dave gestured with his drink towards Ryan. 'Yeah, yeah. I read about this florist, too, somewhere in the Garden District, he does this thing were he uses all natural dyes so you can tint the flowers to match the attendants' dresses.'

Esposito laughed, as the most masculine men he knew - two cops, a paramedic and a writer - devolved into discussing square versus circle tables at the reception and the best places to find cheap but decent looking dress shoes. It looked like the guys only night had turned into a wedding planning night instead.

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	7. The Babysitters A

On Saturday afternoon, when he was off shift, Esposito and Ryan headed to Ryan and Honey-Milk's apartment. They were late, but Ryan was so happy to have a night out with his lady he all but floated out of the car and into the building. When they reached the door, Ryan put his hand on Esposito shoulder.

'Thanks again for this man.'

'I know you'd do the same for me.'

Ryan grinned; he was in too good a mood to poke at his partner despite the perfect set-up he'd been given. Instead he unlocked the door and was treated to the sounds of a cooing Dell from the nursery, along with the rise and fall of Honey-Milk's voice. They went over to the doorway, saw Honey-Milk showing Meredeth how to dress Dell without him getting fussy.

'Just steady, sure movements. If you show him you're nervous, he'll know something's up and turn into a wailing wall. Won't you big man?.'

'How's my baby, baby?' Ryan came in, gave his wife a kiss as Honey-Milk tickled Dell's feet and made him giggle.

'Dry, fed, dressed and ready for a night with Uncle Javi and Auntie Merry.' Honey-Milk picked Dell up, passed him to Meredeth, then went into the kitchen. 'Come on, I'll show you how to warm up his bottles. It might help you to put the blanket over your shoulder so he can smell the mommy smell when he eats. I just fed him around five and he's a fairly regular eater so he gets a big bottle at seven-thirty, and again at ten, then he should be good until about three, three-thirty for a small snack.'

Honey-Milk pulled out the bottle from the fridge. 'Really easy for him. Boil the water in the kettle like you're making tea, pour it in the big green bowl, float the bottle for six minutes, and he'll be happy as a little Irish clam.' She smothered a smile as she saw the men come into the kitchen and the dumbstruck look on Esposito's face as he watched Meredeth with the bubbly infant on her shoulder. 'You have our bags?'

'All set.'

'Okay. Bye-bye my angel. Mommy loves you very much, my sweetie-pie.' Honey-Milk took Dell from Meredeth's arms momentarily to give him a kiss good-bye. 'No wild parties and be sure to tell me and Daddy if your babysitters were necking on the couch while you're in your crib.'

'See you tomorrow buddy. In about twenty years, you'll understand why Mommy's leaving for the night,' Ryan added, brushing his hand over his son's head.

'See you soon, guys. Enjoy your night out.' Esposito followed them to the door, then locked it behind them. He turned back to see Meredeth holding the baby, and for the first time saw the look of pure panic on her face. 'Mere?'

'I don't know if I can do this, Javi. The last time I held an infant was when Robina had TJ and he's going to be seven in October.'

'You're doing fine so far. Here, try this.' Esposito came over, helped her move Dell to her shoulder so the baby's chin rested near her shoulder. 'How's that?'

'Much better.' Relief was sweet and instant as she adjusted her grip so Dell could wriggle his legs. She melted a little when Dell turned his head and sneezed against her neck. 'Oh, my goodness, that was a big one, wasn't it?'

When Dell gurgled, Meredeth grinned in automatic response. 'Why don't we go watch some 'toons, huh?'

* * *

The first challenge came when Meredeth was cuddling with Dell while sitting on the couch, and she saw he was starting to smack his gums together.

'Javi?'

'Yeah?' Esposito, who was sitting on the floor in front of the couch by his fiancee.

'I think he's getting hungry.'

Esposito got up to turn on the kettle to begin the bottle preparation, then inspired, he went into the bedroom and got out his digital camera. He'd started taking it with him places so he could keep a little photo journal of ideas for the wedding when he saw them. He came back out and making sure the flash was off, took some photos of Meredeth with the baby as she talked to him, explaining all the characters on screen.

'Now see, that's Kermit the Frog, and that's Piggy, and Gonzo's a...well, we don't know what, but he sure is fun. His favourite toy is his stuffed chicken Camilla.'

'Getting a jump on his media education?'

She glanced up, winked at him. 'Never too early to appreciate the classics. I was six when I saw _The Great Muppet Caper_ and I fell in love, and feel it is my duty as a fan to share the love. Oh, hey Mister Wiggles, what are you up to?'

'I, ah...' Esposito watched as Dell rolled to his side towards Meredeth and put his hand against her breast. He began to laugh. 'I think little guy's hungry.'

'Oh?'

'Either that or he's trying to get to second base with you.'

'Why would-' Meredeth cut herself off when she saw Dell bump his nose against her breast and realized he was mistaking her boobs for his mother's. 'Oh, okay sweetie, the bottle's almost ready.' She stood up, went to the nursery to get the blanket Honey-Milk suggested, draped it over her shoulder. 'The only man who gets to do that is Uncle Javi.'

Esposito passed her the bottle, which she tested against her wrist, and just when Dell's face began to scrunch into an 'I'm hungry, where's the food' wail, Meredeth popped it into his mouth and he began sucking it down like a champion. Then, after about ten seconds, he scrunched his face up and this time let loose a wail that made Meredeth's tear ducts spring to alert.

'Oh, Dell, it's okay, it's okay, I know I'm not Mommy, but you still have to eat.' Meredeth set the bottle aside, unsure of what to do. She'd seen him with Honey-Milk plenty and knew he was good with a bottle. Setting him against her shoulder, she tried to get him to calm down so he'd eat; she rubbed and patted his back, tried to switch him to the other shoulder, but to no avail. He was a smart boy and he knew the woman feeding him wasn't his mother. Glancing over, hoping she could look to her fiancee for assistance, she felt her nerves go to mush when she saw he was no longer in the living room. As she debated whether or not to go find him, Esposito came out of the bedroom with one of Honey-Milk's sweaters and to her confusion, wrapped the bottle inside it for a minute or two.

'It could be the blanket doesn't smell enough like his mommy,' Esposito explained, unwrapping the fabric from around the bottle, 'and he's confused because he can taste mommy. Try that.'

'Okay.' Meredeth tried again and this time Dell latched onto the bottle not only with his mouth but with both hands. His big blue eyes focused on her face, then shut in concentration. 'Hey, look at that, it worked.'

'A trick I learned from my cousin Frannie when she had her little girl Soladora.' Esposito sat beside Meredeth, watched his godson nurse the bottle as she looked on with a mix of disappointment and confusion. 'Don't read too much into it, babe. I have seventeen first cousins and they all have at least two kids apiece. I've been around babies a lot my entire life.'

'I know. It'll be different when we have our own. You want to hold him?'

'No, you're doing great.'

* * *

Esposito awoke with his watch alarm; he'd promised Meredeth since she'd fed Dell both times at seven-thirty and ten, he'd do his part and get up for the three in the morning one. Reaching over to give Meredeth's arm a stroke, he sat up when he hit nothing but soft sheets. With a rub of his hand over his face, he got up and wandered across the hallway to the nursery.

The sight he saw nearly stopped his heart.

Meredeth was in her pyjamas, the cute blue pants with the matching tank top, and was holding Dell in her arms as she sang to him. He recognized the song as the Sirens' Lullaby from _O Brother Where Art Thou_ and in Meredeth's low alto voice it sounded heavenly. In her arms, Dell blinked bright blue eyes, kicked his feet gently as she set him on the change table.

'You are too cute for words,' she told the baby. 'I hope when your Uncle Javi and I get married we have a whole bunch just like you. Then you'll have some cousins. Or who knows? Maybe tonight your mommy and daddy will make a little brother or sister for you.'

'Knowing my partner, he'll just be happy to be with his woman.'

Meredeth glanced over, as did Dell, to see who was speaking. 'Like you were when I got home from Japan. Naked, well-oiled, sexed-up happy.'

'Shh. That's for grown-up ears only.'

'What, you think he didn't overhear something he wasn't supposed to when his parents were having pregnancy sex?'

'Just for that, I was going to offer to change him for you, but forget it.' He wasn't sure if that were scientifically possible but Esposito wasn't taking any chances. Instead, he watched Meredeth put a wash cloth over Dell's baby junk to avoid being peed on as she changed his diaper. 'Smart move.'

'As much as I love him, that's a treat we're only letting Mommy and Daddy partake in, aren't we?' She blew a raspberry on his tummy, making him sneeze. 'Come on, big boy, it's suppertime,' she told him dramatically.

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	8. The Babysitters B

The following morning, Esposito was once again awake with his watch alarm, and for a moment experienced the disorientation of awakening in a place different than his own bed. He looked around at the plum-coloured walls, saw the black and white photo of Ryan and Honey-Milk dancing at their wedding reception and remembered. He was at his partner's apartment, looking after Dell so the Ryans could celebrate their one year anniversary. Glancing over he saw that Meredeth was still out for the count and opted to leave her there, as she'd also done the three-am feeding while he went back to sleep. He'd just gotten his shaving kit from his over-night bag when he heard the sound of Dell waking up through the baby monitor. Leaving the teeth-brushing and shaving for later, he went across the hallway and looked in the crib to see Dell clutching his blanket in one tiny little fist and blinking his bright blue eyes at the new face peering at him.

'Wakey, wakey, little bro,' Esposito murmured at the infant, picked him up and cuddled him a moment. He could see why Ryan was so in love with his new baby, all that new discovery life every day. 'Mommy left a note saying you need your bath first thing when you wake up, huh?'

He put the baby in the crib again, then took the baby bathtub to fill it with warm water, brought it into the nursery. He set it down on the end of the wall-length change table before going to pick Dell up again. They took a little walk over to the master bedroom where they watched Meredeth sleep curled on her side, her hand on the empty space where Esposito had spent the night.

'What do you think, Dell? Let Auntie Merry sleep?'

'Blb.'

'You sure?'

'Blb.'

'Agreed. She's the love of my life, but waking her on a Sunday morning would mean Javi kebabs for lunch.'

They headed back into the nursery, where Esposito fished two fresh snugglies out of the neatly labeled basket with Honey-Milk's handwriting. 'What do you think. Dancing frogs or sailing lions?' he asked the mostly naked baby holding up the choices. When he saw Dell flail his arm in the direction of Esposito's left hand, he nodded. 'You're right. All babies of discriminating taste know you have bagels for breakfast while wearing your dancing frogs. But first, little bro, you need a rinse. Water should be good to go right now.'

He unfastened the diaper, tossed it in the genie, then draped a wash-cloth over Dell the same way he'd seen Meredeth do the night before so there were no unanticipated hose-downs for his own pyjamas. With practiced moves, he picked Dell up, and remembering what he'd seen Ryan do when he'd watched him bathe his son at home for the first time, cradled the baby belly first so he looked like a little pink frog in the tub; Dell had barely made a peep when Ryan had scooped up water and let it run down his son's tiny back this way. Nothing was guaranteed, though, and sure enough, the moment Esposito picked up the dampened cloth and rubbed it gently over his skin, Dell began to whimper.

'I know, buddy, I know, not as much fun when it's a dude and not a blond like Mommy or a brunette like Auntie Merry, huh?' Esposito dripped a few drops of the no-tears shampoo onto his head. 'You got one fuzzy melon here, little dude. Gotta keep it as shiny as possible.'

When he got out the baby soap and massaged it into his godson's skin, he was as relieved as he was entranced as Dell's fretful mewling subsided. 'Yeah you live by smells don't you?' As Dell responded with a sneeze, Esposito laughed. 'Case in point.'

He finished bathing Dell, then dressed and wrapped him in the blue and green blanket he and Meredeth had given as a baby gift. 'Okay, we are dressed, we are dry, now what, breakfast, Sports Desk or breakfast with Sports Desk?'

'How about a shower?'

Esposito looked up, saw Meredeth, still half asleep and standing in the doorway. 'Hey, Mere, we didn't wake you, did we?'

'I heard him fussing through the baby monitor, then I heard your voice, thought you might like a hand.' Meredeth walked over, plucked Dell out of Esposito's arms. 'Go on, you can clean up while I give him his bottle.'

'Okay.' Esposito tapped Dell lightly on the nose. 'But no more trying to score with my girl, you hear?'

* * *

A few hours later, after they'd both showered and dressed, they loaded Dell into his pram along with the stocked baby bag and began the walk up towards the bagel shop to meet Castle and Beckett for bagel breakfast. Once they got him into the pram, Meredeth wasn't at all surprised to see that Esposito wanted to push it down the sidewalk. Once again, underneath that tough-guy John MacLane cop exterior was a heart soft and tender as the centre of a roasted marshmellow. As they walked along, Meredeth asked her two men about the goings-on she'd missed while she was asleep that morning.

'Did you two have a nice manly bonding session this morning during Dell's bath?'

'Yep. Chicks and scotch and monster trucks. Told me about the cutie in the bassinet next to his in the nursery at Saint Vincent's. Tried to get her number but a big nine-pound turkey on the other side beat him to it.'

'Aw, Dell's first rack-jack. Did you tell him not to worry, lot's of women will find his spry, wiry build attractive?'

'Of course, that's why his mommy likes his daddy's looks. If she didn't, he probably would be here going to Jane Sinclair's.'

'Very good point. May I push now?'

Esposito traded places with Meredeth, watched as she made funny faces at Dell to make him gurgle as they walked along, with Meredeth continuing, 'Me, I like my men like I like my tea - dark sweet and strong enough to chew cement.'

'I tried to make cookies while you were in Japan. They were like chewing bricks, does that count?'

'Sure.' She chuckled when he gave her a kiss. 'There's the strong and sweet together.'

'I laugh every time I watch _Silence of the Lambs_.'

'And now we've hit the hat trick. Here we are, and there they are.'

Meredeth pushed the pram to a stop by the outside tables of Jane Sinclair Bagel Shop where she saw Beckett and Castle perusing menus. Castle glanced up, then set his menu aside.

'Wow, Esposito, you are good! I kid, I kid,' Castle joked off his fish-eyed look. 'I called Ryan last night, he told me you guys were Dell-watching while they had their anniversary night together.'

'We had quite a busy night. We read stories, I sang him a song, and this morning, Esposito and our little dude here had manly bonding bath time,' Meredeth told Beckett, who held out her arms to hold onto the baby while the newly arrived couple took a seat.

'Oh manly bonding is it? Good thing you stayed with him, then and not us,' Beckett commented, winking at Castle's filthy stare. 'Besides the concert would have been way too loud for him. Thanks again for the tickets, Esposito.'

'Any time.'

'How goes the wedding planning?' Castle asked, after they'd placed their orders for breakfast sandwiches. 'Any more decisions made?'

'We picked up the paperwork for the event permit at City Hall for the ceremony to be held at the Terrace, and we've been collecting up information so we can start making the big decisions by Christmas. And we also have something to ask the two of you.'

'Oh?' Beckett looked up from playing with Dell's fingers with interest.

'I'd like you to be one of my ushers, Castle-' Esposito began, while Meredeth finished, 'and I'd like you to be a bridesmaid, Kate.'

'Of course!' they said in unison, much to Meredeth and Esposito's delight, as their drinks were brought over and Beckett put Dell in his pram.

Meredeth grinned. 'Excellent. I know it's just under a year away but it'll go by so quickly, you'll barely notice it.'

'Just think, this little guy-' Beckett bounced the baby gently on her knee '-he'll be over a year old when you get married next year.'

'Wow, spooky thought.' Esposito shuddered at the thought of time passing so quickly. And yet, he'd been with Meredeth almost a year.

'Yep, he'll be walking and talking by then.'

Meredeth had a sudden thought as Beckett mentioned Dell walking and talking. 'Hey, babe, what do you think of Dell here being our ring bearer?'

'Never thought of that. But won't he need his mommy with him?'

'I'm sure we can work it out. Think about it.' Meredeth turned to her fiance. 'He's got the rings on the pillow in one hand, he's wearing a little suit and a baby-sized boutonniere. How precious would that look?'

'It would be cute.'

Meredeth went for the kill. 'Then all the Ryans would get to be in the wedding party.'

'If I say I'll think about it, does that mean you'll reconsider purple and grey for the theme colours?'

'Absolutely.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	9. The Guest List

'The Captain and his wife, for sure. I'd look like an absolute asshole if I didn't invite him when he was at Ryan and Honey-Milk's reception.'

'Kristof, and Robina, of course.'

'Will Kristof bring his wife?'

'I don't know. How many are we up to?'

Esposito scooped up vanilla ice cream as he studied the chart paper Meredeth had dragged into the kitchen. Since they'd asked Castle and Beckett to be in the wedding party almost two weeks prior, they realized they needed to sit down and compose the rest of their wedding party, as well as the preliminary guest list. He'd already told his parents that they, along with Lili and Cam, would be the only members of his family coming, as inviting the rest of the clan would put their guest list well into the seventies and they had no desire whatsoever to have a circus of a wedding. Esposito, knowing his family well, knew that many relatives could cause serious problems, not to mention making it very lopsided on his end of the invitation list. When they'd explained this to his parents, Alejandro and Rosalita both had grumbled but grudgingly agreed that it would be for the best, as there was bound to be sniping and in-fighting over why there were none of the cousins in the wedding party or why they weren't having it at the family's church.

When he and Meredeth had gone home that afternoon, Meredeth had the inspired idea to use her easel of chart paper to create their list of the wedding party to keep their heads from spinning, and to visually draft ideas so they could officially put it in the wedding binder and begin the other things; Esposito had begun to mentally associate dominoes with getting their initial plans organized.

Of course, she'd sweetened the deal with ice cream topped with her homemade honey-glazed dessert croutons. That always made everything better.

'Okay,' he told her, 'let's recap this. We've got you and me, bride and groom. Father Paolo is officiating. Ryan's my best man, and Castle, Gil and Ike are the ushers. You've got Honey-Milk, Beckett, Lili and Lanie as your bridesmaids but not a maid of honour yet.'

'I can't decide between Lili and Lanie, and it's eating me up. On the one hand, Lili's your sister and we're really close. On the other hand, Lanie's been a friend to me since the moment I met her and she was my rock in April.'

Esposito absently scratched his arm, the quarter-inch scars on either side of his bicep a constant reminder of what they'd gone through just two and a half weeks after their six-month anniversary. 'It's your call on that, Mere, but this is strictly a numbers-crunch right now. Who else?'

'Your parents, Cam, Momo and Terrence, Martha and Chet, because according to you it just isn't a party without Martha Rogers.'

'Not if Castle's around.'

'Lanie's boyfriend Dave, Robina and TJ Kelley, Alexis and a guest, Chin and her husband, Anna and Christina, Carol and Tim Thornton.' Meredeth paused to take a scoop of her own ice cream. 'The Captain and his wife, and Kristof and his wife Hilde. Oh and Dell, of course, but I kinda lumped him in with his parents. How many are we up to?'

'Including the wedding party, and Dell as a guest, thirty-two.'

'That's a good number. Nice and intimate.'

'All right, I better go get dressed. Gil's a stickler for punctuality to the ball-park, especially when his Y-'

'Don't say it.' Meredeth held up a finger. 'We don't say the Y-word in this house during playoffs, not when the Red Sox still have a chance.'

Esposito only shook his head; his woman was a born and raised New Yorker and somehow was a Bo-Sox fan. The universe did love its little games. Instead questioning the cosmos he rinsed his dessert dish in the sink, gave her a kiss and headed upstairs to change out of his work clothes. Downstairs, Meredeth continued to study the chart when a knock sounded on the front door, which had Arturo scrambling up from under the kitchen table and racing to see who had come to visit. Meredeth answered and was a little surprised to find Robina on her doorstep. 'Hey, I thought you weren't coming by until after dinner.'

'Anthony picked TJ up early,' Robina explained with a slightly bitter edge to her voice, referring to her ex-husband. 'He and the redheaded bitch are taking him to the Keys for the weekend to visit her family. Like he has any real interest in his son, he just wants to show him off like a prize pig at the county fair.'

'We'll start with double-barreled brass monkeys.'

Robina took off her shoes, wandered into the kitchen. 'Hubby to be still here?'

'He won't be for long, his friend Gil is taking him out to a Y-word game.'

Arturo began barking again, letting Meredeth know Gil had arrived. She opened the door and grinned in spite of herself - Gil looked like the ultimate fanboy with his Clemens jersey and cap. 'I don't know if you can cross the threshold without making my autographed David Ortiz photo burst into flames.'

'Eh, you got no taste in baseball, Mere.' But Gil did take off his hat along with his shoes as he stepped inside. 'He ready to go?'

'Almost. Late getting off shift today, so he was late getting home,' Meredeth explained as they went to the kitchen. 'Oh, this is my agent, Robina Kelley. Robina, this is Detective Gil Mazzara.'

Robina, who'd pulled out her Blackberry in her friend's absence, glanced up. 'Nice to meet you, enjoy the game. Parre's had the hot arm this week in training.'

'Parre?' Gil bristled a little. 'Everyone knows Eddlestein's going with West, he's the got the vicious slider.'

'I hope you mean hamburger, because his slider has barely reached the strike-zone in the last four games. Besides, he's not starting. Parre is.'

'How would you know that, if you think West's slider is a burger.'

Robina looked at him like he had sprouted a third eye. 'Because I'm representing him for his book deal with Action publishing and he told me when we had lunch together today.'

'Like that means anything, sports line-ups change thirty-seconds before they hit the field for warm-ups.'

'Children, teacher hasn't had enough alcohol yet tonight to break up this squabble.' Meredeth began pulling bottle of liquor from the cabinet to mix drinks for herself and Robina.

'Mazzara, let's go!' Esposito hollered as he came down the stairs, zipped into the kitchen to kiss Meredeth. 'We'll be lucky to get there for the first pitch. Love you babe.'

'Love you too, drive safely.'

When the men had left, Robina shook her head. 'Could he be any more arrogant? Oh wait, he's a Y-word fan. Guess not. Do me a favour, if he's at the wedding, don't seat me next to him.'

* * *

Esposito arrived home, yawning hugely. The game had gone to extra innings but thankfully one of the players on the home team crushed a triple deep into left field, giving them the go-ahead and winning runs to make it a 3-1 victory for New York's favourite sons. He went upstairs to the bedroom, and wasn't at all surprised to find Meredeth in bed with a book and a glass of what was either electrified orange juice or original flavour Gatorade. As he'd seen the size of the pitcher of drinks the women had mixed before he'd gone with Gil to the baseball park, he guessed it was the latter. His mouth went a little dry, however, when he saw that she had the sheets tucked around her breasts which meant only one thing - they were the only pj's she was wearing.

'Hey baby.'

'Shh. No loud noises.'

'Brass monkeys jumping on the bed, I take it?'

'A little bit.' Meredeth set her book aside, sat up to kiss her fiance. 'How was the game?'

'Excellent. I asked Gil to be in the wedding, and he's so stoked. I think he's thinking it might be a chance to hit on some attractive single people, even though I pointed out to him, the only single people on the guest list at this point are under the age of twenty-one.

'About that.' Meredeth took a drink of her Gatorade. 'I think there was a little spark between Robina and Gil.'

'Oh?'

'Yeah they weren't in the kitchen together for thirty seconds and they were ready to rip each others throat out

'Ah, a little Clash of the Titans.' Esposito ran his hand over Meredeth's shoulder. 'Now that you're engaged and he's officially divorced, are you starting to play match-maker for Gil?'

'No, not at all. I just thought it funny how Gil who usually shrugs off any attack on his precious pitcher West and Robina says Parre's got the hot arm and he's going toe-to-toe with her.'

'That is interesting. You know what else is?'

'What?'

Esposito pulled off his shirt, tackled Meredeth to the bed. 'How I can restrain myself for so long, when you're here all hot and naked'

'I haven't a clue,' Meredeth giggled, as he tumbled her back against the pillows.

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	10. The Maid of Honour

'Wallace Cooper, age forty-three, cause of death blunt force trauma to the back of the head.'

Lanie gave Ryan and Esposito the bullet on her guest of honor on the slab before them, as they Ryan took notes and Esposito took the file Lanie passed him for the official report. 'Time of death, based on lividity and body temperature, in between four and five this morning. No visible defensive wounds, and no subdermal tissue abrasions indicating he was tied up or restrained in anyway. Tox panel just came back, he had no alcohol and a mild sedative in his system, ingested around midnight.'

'Prescription?' Ryan asked.

'No. Standard, off the shelf drugstore Gravol. Normally used as an anti-nausea medication but it's also taken by people fighting insomnia if they don't want to become chemically dependent to get a good night's sleep. Knocks them out for an overnight to help the body get back on a regular sleeping pattern. I used it in med school once exams were done so I could conk out and become human again.'

Esposito looked up from the file. 'So not enough for him to have stayed asleep while someone bashed his brains in.'

'Not even enough to keep him asleep if someone trimmed his fingernails. You can probably guess he knew his killer and trusted him well enough to turn his back so he didn't see this coming.'

He nodded, making mental notes on checking for pharmacy receipts when they ran the financials to see if the killer slipped it to him or if it was already on scene. 'Anything else of importance to note right now?'

'Lab's still running fingernails scrapings, orifice swabs, and fibres so when they have something, you'll know as much as I do on that front.' Lanie glanced at the clock on the wall behind Ryan's head. 'And if you can excuse me, gentlemen, my lunch date should be here by now, and I don't want to keep them waiting.'

'Ah, Dave dropping by on his way off shift?' Ryan teased her, and was pleased when she blushed a little.

'Not exactly.'

The three of them left the sterile-smelling autopsy room for Lanie's office; the two men pulled up short when they saw Meredeth pulling out her white-and-red plastic containers from Lanie's microwave. She glanced up, smiled. 'Hello, Detectives.'

'Hey baby.' Esposito leaned over, gave her a kiss. 'I didn't know you were having lunch with Lanie today.'

'I called her after you left this morning. We have wedding things to discuss, right maid-of-honour?'

Lanie grinned. 'You bet we do, bride-to-be.'

'Here.' Meredeth passed Esposito and Ryan each a small Ziploc bag. 'Little treat for the road.'

Esposito only shook his head. She definitely knew his weaknesses, he thought, as he saw she'd passed him a trio of triple-chocolate squishes. 'You spoil me, Mere, and I love you for it,' he told her, giving her another kiss. 'We gotta run, but this will definitely make paperwork more fun.'

'Agreed,' Ryan managed; he'd already stuffed one of his beer-nut cookies in his mouth, unable to wait until they got back to their desks. 'We'll leave you ladies to the planning.'

Meredeth gave her fiance a kiss and told him she loved him, too, before he and his partner headed out the doors; the microwave beeped, letting her know the food was ready. She popped the door, and saw Lanie had removed her scrub cap and picked up a spoon.

'Mm-mm, girl, you do spoil us rotten with all this good food,' Lanie commented as she sniffed the fragrant tomato and black bean soup. 'Usually it's a cold sandwich from Vending or worse.'

'You'd love my Momo, then. She forever preached at me a well-nourished body means a well-nourished mind. I think it's why I can cook and think my deep thoughts at the same time.'

Lanie nodded, then moaned as she sampled the dish. 'God, Mere, what the hell are you doing writing for a living? You'd make a killing as a caterer.'

'That wouldn't make it fun anymore. Before we get into all of that, I have to ask a question.' Meredeth shook pepper into her soup, stirred. 'Does not having my fantasy wedding already perfectly planned out make me a bad bride?'

'No. Why?'

'Well, it feels like I'm missing the bubbly stupid-with-happy bride gene because I don't have everything decided upon. The last three weeks, whenever someone's asked me about wedding details, half the answers out of my mouth have been 'I don't know yet' and they give me the fish-eye.'

'Mere, a blind man in outer space could see you are stupid with happy to be marrying Esposito. And seriously, you've been engaged less than a month, your wedding isn't for another eleven. Don't you think that's a lot of pressure to put on yourself?' When Meredeth only squirmed, Lanie went for the bedrock of the question. 'What did he say when you asked him this?'

'He said he loves me, and if I'd had every last detail, down to the kind of ties the ushers would wear, already thought of, then he'd be concerned that I just wanted a party and not a marriage. And that we're doing it together and he wants to have a say in everything too. He understands that there's some details that will be just him, like the ushers tuxes and the men's stuff, and some that'll be just me, like the bridesmaids' dresses and everything, but we're a team and we do the big things together.'

'See? You've got a good one there, and I'll tell you something.' Lanie paused to eat more of her lunch. 'I've had four of my girlfriends get married in the last six years. Three of them had everything planned out to a fault and the entire time they were getting ready for the wedding, it was nothing but bitching how they couldn't get their dream day. The fourth one, Anya, she was like you. Her husband surprised her completely with the proposal so she didn't have any time for fantasizing about the perfect day and they had a much easier time planning things because she wasn't stubbornly set in her ways. She understood the margin of error in this shop not being able to order the flowers in time or that cake costing too much.'

Meredeth listened, eating as she did so. 'Well, we already know that Javi's mother is making the wedding cake. She's a professional baker and we've told her that's the best way she can be involved in the wedding.'

'She's not going to do all the catering?'

'Rosalita doesn't have the equipment for it.'

'You're not concerned she's going to overpower you?'

'No.' Meredeth unlidded another container, pulled out a handful of tortilla chips to crumble in her soup before she pulled her wedding-planning binder out of her tote bag. 'She told me about the nightmare of Lili's mother-in-law, Felicity, saying she'd step back and let Lili plan the wedding, then she pretty much told Lili every choice she was making was wrong, and how it'd be a cold day in hell before she'd do that to me when she saw how upset her own daughter was dealing with an interfering and overbearing mother-in-law.'

'Lucky girl. See, you've got that leg-up too. Now, let's talk dresses. What have you thought about your dress?'

'I know what I don't want, does that count?'

'Absolutely, it's like knowing what you do want, in reverse.'

'No big cupcake dress. Seriously, I don't want poofiness. It's going to be hot, it's an outside ceremony, and, well, I'm a big enough girl on my own so I don't need to look like a marshmellow. And no ridiculously long train either. That's just wasteful.'

'So a slimming, simple but elegant dress with a small train that's also easy to move in.'

'Yes. And I'm not wearing heels, either. I have skinny ankles so we naturally don't get along, plus if I wear three inch pumps, I'm going to be taller than Javi and I _really_ don't like that feeling.'

Lanie tugged over the wedding planner, flipped open to the 'Dresses' tab and began making notes. 'How do you feel about beading?'

'No encrustations. The dress shouldn't stand up on its own. Light work, like sprinkles to catch the afternoon sun for a little bit of glitter.'

'Like fairy dust?' Lanie wrote the notes in, then looked up at Meredeth and her pen stopped cold. Meredeth had suddenly gone into a trance, making Lanie wonder if she'd had a stroke of some kind. 'Mere?'

'Fairy dust. Oh, Lanie, I just had the most brilliant flash of brilliance.' Meredeth nudged her soup aside so she wouldn't spill it on the papers on her friend's desk. 'I just had a mental flash of all those colourful pixies from _Fantasia_, the ones dancing to the _Nutcracker Suite_.'

'Those little bright sprigs of light?'

'Yeah. I suddenly got this mental picture of you all in these sweet, candy-coloured dresses with the guys wearing black suits, white shirts and vests and silk ties to match your dresses. Oh that's too perfect!'

Lanie only shook her head as Meredeth began to scribble down her idea furiously on the page in the binder. 'And you thought you didn't have the bubbly-bride gene?'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	11. The Honeymoon Practice

Esposito checked his watch, shook his head at himself. He was twenty minutes late to meet Meredeth for a drink and frustrated. He knew it was part of being involved with a cop but it still didn't make him feel any less of a jerk. He stepped into the bar, found Meredeth sitting at a booth looking as beautiful as ever as she scanned the crowds. His belly did a little bouncy-bounce when she locked her eyes on him and he saw her expression go from polite interest to pure love.

'Hey babe,' she greeted him, giving him a slow kiss as he slid into the booth beside her. 'Don't worry, you're not too late. I just got here a few minutes ago.'

'Oh?'

'Arturo swallowed one of my pen lids this afternoon so I had to take him to the vet's to get his stomach pumped' she explained, off his inquisitive look.

'Glad to hear he's okay.'

'How was work?'

'Mm, no.' Esposito shook his head, signaled for the waitress. 'It was nothing but paperwork on old cases. I want to talk wedding stuff.'

'Oh?'

'Yeah, I had some ideas this afternoon when I hit the gym.'

Meredeth sipped her beer. 'Oh yeah?'

'Yeah.' Esposito shifted a little in his chair. 'I know me being a cop will make planning things kind of hard, but I'm not dumping everything on you. This is a partnership, we're in it together. You got my back, I got yours.'

'Exactly. So, partner, tell me what you were thinking about for wedding stuff.'

'Purple and grey. I don't think that'd look very pleasant for the reception. It'd look too...business-y. So we're back at square one for that.'

'Actually, we might not be. I had an idea over lunch with Lanie. What if we went with a a multi-colour theme?'

'Multi-colour,' he repeated.

'Yeah. I had this idea for each of the brides' maid dresses to be a sweet, summery floral colour. Key-lime green, lemon, coral, lilac, watermelon pink, that kind of thing, and then the men's ties or vests would match their corresponding bridesmaid's dress.'

'I like it. I think that would look really sharp with all the green in Central Park. Ties, though, the vests would be a little much, especially if the guy takes his jacket off at the reception.'

'Unless...' Meredeth gnawed her lip in concentrated debate. 'Are you, Ryan, Gil and Ike going to wear your dress blues?'

'No. Castle's in the wedding party and he's a civilian and I want them all to match.'

'Really?'

'Yeah. I like your idea, the corresponding things. Now, on to more serious matters. The honeymoon. I'd like to pick where we go.'

That one didn't come as a surprise to her. 'I thought about that too, but I didn't want to step on toes and insult you.'

'I've seen a little of the world. I've been to Puerto Rico, obviously, and skiing out in Whistler, California of course. But there's a lot more I want to see and I want to see it with you.' It came out cornier than he'd intended, but it was nonetheless honest. 'Anywhere that's off limits?'

'Denmark and Australia,' Meredeth replied without hesitating. 'If we went to Denmark my mother's sister would be irritated to say the least that we didn't visit and that's not what a honeymoon is for.'

'And no Australia because-'

'Have you seen the grocery list of spiders that live there? It'd be five months of hypnotherapy down the toilet.'

Esposito nodded. 'Okay. No Denmark, no Australia, and I'm ruling out Puerto-Rico, as both the Esposito and Huertas families would expect us to spend time with them, and that would use up all our time.'

'Okay. You're in charge of that. Three weeks, anywhere you decide. In fact,' she leaned in to whispered suggestively in his ear, 'why don't we get out of here and practice?'

'I like the way you think.'

* * *

They barely made it through the front door before they were wrapping around each other like coiled snakes. Meredeth heard distantly the _thud-thud_ as she kicked off her shoes, followed by the echoing sound of his, as his mouth fused hotly to hers. Her eyes closed as she felt his tongue trace over her lips then part them, tangle with hers. Keys jangled as they were tossed to the floor.

'Upstairs,' she managed, as his mouth went to her throat to nibble at the pulse rabbiting wildly there.

'Too far.'

Esposito moved his mouth back to hers, began to walk her backwards towards the wide, welcoming sofa as his impatient hands tugged at her shirt; on an oath he ripped it open, sending the buttons across the floor like spilled Skittles., then tossed it over his shoulder. She tumbled backwards over the arm of the couch, breasts rising and falling as he stripped off his own shirt over his head. For a moment he just admired her - the curves on her body, its random freckles, but mostly the look in her eyes that told him one thing and one thing only - come and get it, big boy.

Starting at the bottom, he tugged off her socks - thankfully he'd worn sandals out of the locker room at the precinct - then at the hem of her pant-legs, which slid over her hips as she'd fumbled open the the button and zipper. He ran his hands over the silky smooth length of them, stretching himself out on top of her as he went higher and higher until he was pressed hotly against her and was kissing her again.

Meredeth closed her eyes, the feeling of him being half-dressed against her nearly naked body giving her goosebumps. She shifted so her leg draped over the back of the sofa to give him better access in such tight quarters, though how she did so when her brain was frying inside her skull from his mouth on hers she didn't quite know. He had such an amazing mouth, and not just for kissing; ripples of delight passed over her skin as he nipped at her bra strap with his teeth, his hand moving swiftly behind her back to flip the hook-and-eyes open. The blue cotton barely hit the floor before he ran his hand once over her breast then took it into his mouth, making her gasp.

'I love that mouth, Javi.'

His only response was to flick his tongue over her nipple and make her cry out, as he felt the heat increase between her thighs against him. He suckled and nipped at her, making her grind her hips against his as his jeans grew tighter by the second. Esposito stroked his hands down her torso, over her stomach and hips to tug her panties off as he rose to his knees. He watched give a sexy little laugh as he tossed them over his shoulder, but when his hand went for the snap of his pants, she sat up.

'Let me do it.'

'Yeah,' he agreed, then watched as she drew down his zipper, her hands purposely brushing over his arousal with the lightest of touches. He groaned when she slid her hands down his boxers, those long piano-player's fingers squeezing his ass before slipping around to the front, which had him choking out her name.

'Mere. God, I love it when you do that.'

'This?' She traced the tip of her index finger over him, and he nearly lost his mind. Instead, he shoved away the fabric and tossed it aside, socks included, then dragged Meredeth in for a hot kiss. He kept his mouth there as he pulled her against him, sank inside her. The little 'oh' she always made was swallowed as he began to move with her, pressing her back into the sofa. He was so steeped in her he forgot where they, for as he went to roll so she was on top for the first moments, Esposito rolled them off the couch so they landed on the floor with a hard _whoomp_.

Meredeth cracked up, shaking her head. 'Very smooth, Detective.'

'You don't seem to mind,' he replied and rolled again so she was underneath him; her laugh turned into a moan as he moved his hands from her hips down to the tops of her thighs, with just enough pressure on them to keep her from wrapping them around him. He kept his eyes on her face as she matched each stroke he gave her, her cries of his name loud and unfiltered. He kept his pace the same as she came, her breasts rising and falling rapidly as she fought for air.

Meredeth's skin felt like is was on fire as she arched her back off the floor, the throes of the first orgasm trailing into the second. As the floor offered no grip, she pressed the heel of her hand to her heart, then felt it snatched away. She bit her lip, opened her eyes as she saw the passion in his.

'Look at me, my love,' he murmured, twining his fingers with hers. 'I want to see it.'

Her eyes never left his face as he drove her up again and followed her over the edge. Spent, drained, he nestled his head against her breasts; in his mind, God had never created more perfect pillows than those beautiful swells. As she drummed her fingers between his shoulder blades, he turned so his chin rested against her breast bone.

'Excellent practice, Mere.'

'Right back at you, Javi.' She ran her hands down his back. 'Think you'll have a bruise, babe?'

'Let's just say now I know when looking at hotels, we need a king-sized bed.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	12. The Boys' Night

'Ike and Honey-Milk, key-lime green.'

'Honey Lime Green.'

'Castle and Beckett, coral.'

'Castle Coral.'

'Javi, what are you doing?' Meredeth laughed as she looked up from the book of fabric samples she'd picked up from the dressmaker's she'd decided to go with for her bridal gown and her bridesmaids' dresses. She'd organized photos of the ladies and after a little shuffling came up with who would be paired with who and in what colour. She'd gotten Esposito to write down the selections on the chart paper while she noted them in the binder, and was having a hard time keeping a straight face when her fiance was recording it in his own short-hand. When he glanced over, gave her a wink, any minor irritation she'd felt evaporated; who could stay mad at that face?

'I'm having fun. Keep going.'

'Gil and Lili, watermelon pink.'

'He'll hate you for that one,' Esposito chuckled as he wrote. 'Melon Mazzara.'

'Lanie and Ryan, they get lemon yellow.'

'Lanie Lemon, got it.'

Meredeth smiled as she made a line underneath the list in the book, sketched a small T-chart. 'I'm going to need the men's tailoring measurements so they can make the ties the appropriate length. Full ascots always look better when the tuxes have vests.'

'I talked to Castle's guy, they've all got appointments next week around their work schedules so they'll make it. And I know where they live if they miss it.' Esposito capped his Sharpie, straightened to stretch his back. 'You want something to eat before you meet Lanie?'

'No, it's okay. I prefer to watch horror movies, especially gruesome ones like _Las Picaduras_, on a empty stomach. Harder to hurl in terror that way.'

'Why are you going to see _Las Picaduras_, then?'

'Lanie called in a marker. After Arturo swallowed that pen-cap, I couldn't get him out of the car when I got him home from the vet's, so I called her and she came over to help but the sedative they'd given him made him groggy, and, ah...leaky, on her nice silk pants.'

'Ah. Dog pee for vampires. Makes sense.'

Meredeth walked over, gave her man a hug and a kiss. 'So what are you up to on your fiancee-free night?'

'Gil and Ike and I are going to shoot some pool over at Magic Eight's. Ryan said he might stop in, but he obviously wants to go home to his baby boy.'

'You worried he's going to turn into one of those hermit parents who only spends time with his family?'

'Nah, Jenny won't let him. Enjoy your movie,' he told her, giving her a pat on the bottom as he kissed her.

'Enjoy your pool game.'

* * *

'Four-ball, side pocket.'

Ike lined up his shot and missed spectacularly, making him feel like a fool. 'Damn, that's such an easy shot, how'd I miss?'

'Because you always play bumper pool with your son in the basement, that's why.' Esposito sipped his beer, chalked up his cue. 'Four-ball, far pocket.' When he sank the purple ball with no problems, he only had to hear Ike's gusty sigh to snicker. 'Like that, bro. Good thing we're only playing for drinks and not dollar-a-ball. You could pay for my wedding flowers the way you're playing tonight.'

'No, no, no wedding stuff, not tonight bro.' Gil drank his rye and coke as he walked around the table. 'Not that I begrudge your happiness, but I've had enough of women this week.'

'His date went way south,' Ike explained.

'Oh?' Esposito took his shot at the five-ball and missed.

Gil snarled as he lined up his shoot. 'I picked her up, and took her to the AMC over on Lex and Fifty-Sixth. We're laughing, having a good time, she ducks into the ladies room while I'm in line to get popcorn and guess who I run into.'

'Julietta?'

'Nope, that machete-mouthed agent of Meredeth's with zero baseball knowledge.'

'Robina?' Now Esposito was a little more alert. 'I take it the encounter was just as friendly as your debate before the Yankees' game?'

'Put it this way, we were arguing about the Yankees' bullpen again, and when my date came back we were so into our fight, she thought I was arguing with my ex wife so she left me there high and dry. That's when Julietta and Mark showed up, and I look like the lonely pathetic guy who can't scare up a date on Friday night. Five in the side.'

'Ouch.' Ike whistled lowly. 'You didn't go after your date, maybe-'

'And of course, that harpie in high heels couldn't wait to rub it in how she was right about Parre starting instead of West. Big fuckin' deal,' Gil barreled on. 'She didn't know shit about their batting depth, that's for damn sure. She kept blabbering on about it through all the previews. The couple behind us had to shush us, well shush her for being loud and me for trying to quiet her down.'

Esposito held up his hand. 'Hang on, bro. You sat with her in the film?'

'Yeah, and I wished I'd bought the Chewy bar instead of popcorn so it would have glued her mouth shut. Six down table.' Gil took his shot, missed by a mile, then looked at Esposito who looked like he was trying to keep from laughing. 'What?'

'You're into her.'

'Oh come on, man.' Gil scoffed at the notion he could be attracted to the woman. Even if she did have kitten-soft hands he'd accidentally brushed when he'd reached for the popcorn. 'She's foul and she doesn't know shit about the Yankees.'

'You are _so_ into her. I can practically hear the bluebirds twittering around your head. Six in the corner.'

'Ike, back me up here.'

Ike scratched his chin, then propped it on his cue. 'You did see the film with her instead of going after your date.'

'That was just to save face in front of my slutty tart of an ex-wife.'

Their debate was cut short when a delighted young squeal split the air, and a dark haired young woman bounded up to Esposito and gave him a tight hug.

'Hey Detective!'

'Speaking of tarts,' Gil observed acidly as he paused to make his shot.

'Hi, Sloan, how are you sweetie?' Esposito patted her shoulder as Sloan tucked a long strand of dark hair behind her ear.

'Celebrating. It's my boyfriend Garett's birthday so we're here shooting some pool, having some drinks.' She held up her wrist, showed off a paper bracelet. 'I'm still underage so I get one of these little darlings.'

'Good, I don't want to arrest you and neither do these guys. This is Ike Thornton and Gil Mazzara,' he said, gesturing to his friends. 'This is Sloan Machado, she's friends with Castle's daughter Alexis.'

'Nice to meet you. I heard from Lex you are getting married!' Sloan gave Esposito a little nudge in the ribs. 'Same girl I saw you with last November?'

'The very same.'

'Well, if you haven't gotten a photographer booked yet, I'm looking for work to add to my portfolio. And if she's got any doubts, just get her to look at the photos on my website.'

'Website, is it?'

'Columbia D-P dot Com slash smachado. It's my digital portfolio.' Sloan waved across the room to someone. 'There's Garrett with our friends, I better run. Think about it.'

* * *

Esposito was just finishing undressing when he heard Meredeth come in from the movies, race up the stairs. As expected, Meredeth's face was a study of pale terror.

'Hey babe, how was your night?'

'Can't talk. Must go bleach brain and eyeballs with boiled vinegar.'

He laughed when Meredeth shuddered dramatically as she pulled off her sweater. 'That bad huh?'

'Whoever read the script and said, yeah, sure, the audience will just _love_ watching a girl get eaten out by a vampire and midway through his love bites turn into real bites so she dies having a bloody orgasm is sick. Sick, sick, sick.'

'You don't mind if I use my teeth on that little sweet spot on your leg when we're having fun like that,' he murmured, crossing over to wrap his arms around her waist.

'Javi, there's a big difference between a little love-graze and having your clitoris fanged by the undead.'

'And isn't that a pretty thought,' he joked, letting her go so Meredeth could finish undressing. 'Want to hear about my very productive night?'

'Absolutely.'

'Remember Sloan, we met her at the movies on our very first date? She's a photography student and needs work for her portfolio; I thought we could use her as the wedding photographer.'

'I don't know, Javi.' Meredeth tugged on the tank top. 'Is she any good?'

'She did all the formal wedding reception portraits for Ryan and Honey-Milk, and that one I sent you on our one-month.' Esposito did a mental victory dance as he saw Meredeth nod in consideration. 'Just something to think about. I know her, she's a good kid and she'll be professional to a T.'

'Definitely one for the finalists pile, then.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	13. The Anniversary Dinner A

'One year.'

'I know.'

'That's twelve months, fifty-two weeks, three-hundred sixty five days, or five hundred twenty thousand six hundred minutes.'

'You're not going to burst into song are you?'

Meredeth laughed as she finished setting the silverware on the table of the formal dining room. It was October fourth, the one year anniversary of her and Esposito's first date, and to mark the occasion, they were having the wedding party minus Lanie and Dave for the tasting of a caterer's menu as a possible option for the wedding dinner. As she put down the last fork, she put her hands on the back of the chair and reminisced fondly.

One year, since she'd met him for their movie date, when he'd given her the 'wow' in the ticket line. She'd bogarted the popcorn which had only led to him holding her hand through the entire movie, then - oh glorious then - the kiss by the subway station that made her feel like she'd been. The first time she'd made him dinner. The first sleepover, and along with that, the first comforting after a night terror. The first time they'd made love; Meredeth still blushed and giggled at remembered the way they had all but devoured each other on the kitchen floor of her old apartment in Yorkville - that was an excellent first. Then the ones after she'd moved into the townhouse.

The first time they'd said 'I love you'.

And there were so many to come, too. All the firsts with the wedding, then eventually children, possibly nieces and nephews, more friends' weddings and babies too. Going back into the kitchen, she watched him worked; he may not have been much of a cook but he was a hell of a bartender. He was wearing the blue cashmere sweater she'd given him the previous Christmas - the first Christmas - and jeans, and she could see the glint of gold at his neck that was his chain with his cross peeking out. Meredeth let her eyes drift south, to the fine behind, and his inexplicably cute feet. Overcome with the purest, greatest emotions for him, she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him.

'I love you.'

'I love you.'

'Whatcha makin?'

'Blended brass monkeys. Lili texted me in a pisser of a mood this afternoon, said she wanted the most sugar-jacked virgin monkeys I could make at dinner.'

'Oh?'

Esposito measured orange juice, dumped it in the blender. 'You know Lili and Cam having been trying for baby for a month or two now, but they only just told Felicity, Cam's mother last night, and she didn't take the news so well.'

'Some mothers have a hard time seeing their sons as adults. They like to keep them as their little boys as long as they can.'

'Do they say to their sons' wives, 'how could you do this to him, you little tramp' and kick them out of the house?'

Meredeth's eyes popped wide; she covered her open mouth with her hand. 'Oh my lord, she said that to Lili? What did Cam do?'

'He stood for her, told his mother no one talks to his wife like that and when she was ready to apologize, Felicity knew how to reach them.' He twisted the ice-cube tray, poured in a handful with the orange juice. 'It's why I'm so glad my mother adores you. Makes everything easier. Pass me the lemon juice?'

She did so, then took out two bottles of red wine from the cupboard to uncork and let breathe as a knock sounded on the door. 'That must be the caterers. Where's Arturo at?'

'Napping upstairs in the guest room, since it's got the TV for company.'

'Ah.' It broke Meredeth's heart a little that she couldn't have the dog around like he usually was for dinner, but as one of the caterer's assistants was highly allergic to canine hair, she'd had little choice in the matter. She opened the door and saw the group coming in with boxes of supplies as well as pots and pans. 'Javi, babe, why don't you move your bartending station into the dining room so you'll both have lots of room?'

She went to close the door, but it was braced on the other side by Honey-Milk and Ryan, carrying Dell in his baby car seat, along with Gil who looked nervous as a fox in a henhouse.

'Look what we found at the subway station!' Ryan said cheerfully, giving Meredeth a quick kiss on the cheek. 'It followed us here, can he stay for supper?'

'I suppose.' Meredeth greeted Gil with a warm hug, patted his shoulder as they went inside. 'I heard you had a little impromptu date with a certain prickly literary agent. You know she's coming tonight, right?'

'I know, Esposito told me.' Gil scratched his stomach, unsure of why he was so anxious over the fact Robina would be there. She was nothing but abrasive and irritating. He handled worse at work. 'Just don't seat her next to me, okay? It's your anniversary dinner with your hubby-to-be, and I don't want any bloodsports ruining the night.'

'Wouldn't dream of it.' Meredeth smiled at his back as he went in search of the bar along with Ryan while Honey-Milk went upstairs to feed Dell in the privacy of the master bedroom. She didn't have time to gloat long as the doorbell rang again; because the gods were either pleased with her or setting her up on the cosmic gag reel this time it was Robina on the other side of the door.

'Hey, Robina. Come on in, your sparring partner's already here,' she told her agent with a knowing grin, which had Robina rolling her eyes.

'I cannot believe I spent my only evening out in two weeks with _him_. He's yappy and annoying-'

'So don't seat him next to you, I know.'

* * *

By the time everyone else had arrived and they were seated with the first course of salads - half the table receiving fruit salad, the other mixed greens with onion and chardonnay vinaigrette - Esposito couldn't have been happier. He watched as Meredeth poked at the salad in between conversations with Lili and Castle, and playing referee for Gil and Robina. She'd done as she'd promised and not seated them side by side - she'd just seated them across from each other. He knew what she was playing at doing so and would back her up completely, as any blind fool could see they were enjoying the whip-lash comments they exchanged.

By the time the salad plates were cleared and they'd filled out the little feedback cards Meredeth had printed up, Castle wiped his mouth with his napkin, then stood up. 'I'd like to make a little toast here.'

Everyone paused their conversation, focused on him. Castle knew it would be good practice, as he'd been asked by Esposito to be the MC for the wedding reception. 'About a year ago, Ryan, Beckett, Esposito and I were working on the Bodega Stalker case, when we learned Esposito had a new girlfriend. So we did what any good friends would do when we figured out they'd been together about three weeks and invited ourselves to his place so we could see her interview with Craig Ferguson. When Meredeth came on screen, we teased him so badly, and yet the entire time he kept smiling. And it's the same smile I see on him today whenever he mentions his bride-to-be. So here's to a great first year together with its ups and downs, and here's to many more smiles ahead of you both.'

The room was filled with the sound of clinking glass as the servers brought in the various meat, fish and vegetarian options. Meredeth smiled as she picked up her knife and fork for the salmon en croute with asparagus and wild rice. 'Looks delicious,' she said to no one in particular. She scooped up a bite - and nearly spit it across the table. 'Oh god that is foul! What the hell is that! It's like sushi dipped in glue!'

Esposito cut a piece of his as well, only he aimed for the napkin. 'Sweet merciful Jesus, that is nasty!'

The others around the table weren't faring much better: Lili and Gil both cut into their chicken Florentine, only to discover it was still raw in the middle and the spinach and ricotta stuffing oozing like lumpy snot, while the pasta Castle and Beckett had been served was undercooked and crunchy underneath cold sauce. Even the steak Honey-Milk and Robina had been served was tasteless and tough; the only people who seemed to have anything edible on the plate were vegetarians Ryan and Cam.

'At least mine being vegetarian won't kill me if it's not cooked all the way through,' Ryan said cautiously; sounding superior for his aversion to meat would not end well right now.

'Oh, come on, Ryan, like you can call your rabbit food good,' Beckett scoffed.

'I didn't say it was good, I said it wouldn't kill me.'

'I thought this was the caterer your friend Karpowski used,' Cam said, poking at his eggplant parmigiana like it might come to life and attack.

'That's what she told me.' Esposito shook his head. 'Well, happy anniversary, Mere,' he said to his fiancee.

Meredeth returned his cheerful exasperation. 'Happy anniversary Javi.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	14. The Anniversary Dinner B

They didn't have to pay for the food, which was about the only good thing to come out of the meal. That at least, Esposito knew, was a certain blessing; the caterer, it turned out, had expected his staff to deliver the food fully prepared and only needed it to be warmed through with the steaks prepared on-site, however some confusion caused the meals to be delivered raw. Understandably, the caterer opted not to serve dessert and high-tailed it out of the kitchen with his staff in tow before Esposito could roll up his sleeves and read them the riot act; he'd wanted a nice intimate dinner with friends that would be a double-barrel shot - an elegant meal for his anniversary with Meredeth and making an important decision on their wedding caterer. Instead they'd ended up ordering sandwiches from Mosaic Deli; nothing said true love like turkey and dijon on toasted rye with a bottle of champagne for toasting.

Thankfully for the sweets course, Meredeth had one of her emergency pies in the freezer - she always kept an Dutch apple casserole or strawberry crisp pre-made forr just such an occasion. Ryan and Honey-Milk hadn't been able to stay, as they had to put Dell to bed in order to get him up early for his first pediatrician's appointment in the morning, nor had Castle and Beckett due to an early court time in the morning; all took some of Meredeth's cookies to go. Thus, only the remaining six enjoyed the mixed berry crostata in the living room with coffee and tea, and of course wedding conversation.

'I can't believe a month ago you two had no idea what you wanted for the wedding, now you're tasting caterers and sending us to tailors and dressmakers,' Lili commented, giving Arturo a healthy scratch under the chin before he went looking for crumbs.

'Once we figured out where we were getting married, it started to fall in from there.' Esposito, who had his arm around Meredeth's waist as they sat on the couch. 'Central Park on August thirtieth is going to look amazing in photos in years to come.'

Cam added a spoon of sugar to his coffee and stirred. 'If you don't mind me asking, why is everything being done so quickly all of a sudden? Lili and I had a bit of a time crunch, since I was only home for a few months before I shipped out to Iraq, but you've got nothing but time.'

'Is there a ticking bio-clock we should know about?' Lili added for good measure.

This time it was Robina who piped up. 'No, but around the four-months-to-go mark the miniseries comes out, and I'll need her for most of April doing press, so they're getting a jump on those details now so when her time is limited, things will still go smoothly as possible.'

'Well that explains it.'

Robina looked over at Gil. 'Explains what?'

'April's your busy month for work, so you missed spring training. If you'd seen any of those early games, then you'd know your precious Parre could barely hit a bus with his curve ball, never-mind the strike zone.'

Everyone in the room held their breath, waiting for the explosion, but to all their surprises, Robina held up her hands in something akin to surrender. 'I thought we called a truce while we're around the lovebirds. The last thing they want on their one-year is to have us bickering over something as trivial as a baseball team.'

'Agreed.' Gil flashed her a cocky grin, winked; the move had something fluttering in Robina's stomach she hadn't felt in ages. Before she could say anything, her blackberry beeped at her.

'Damn. I have to run, TJ got sick at his friend's place,' she said, reading the incoming text. 'Thanks again for the invite to the non-dinner, you two. Mere, I'll see you next week.' She paused, then added in an almost hesitant voice, 'Gil, you want to walk me to the subway and we can finish our argument on the way?'

'Only to explain why you are so very wrong about Milwaukee's chances against my boys in the next round.' Gil rose to his feet, bumped knuckles with Esposito. 'Thanks for the shitty steak bro, but it could have been worse. You could have cooked for all of us.'

'Get outta here.'

The minute the door was shut behind them, Lili pounced. 'Okay, am I the only one-'

'No,' the other three chorused.

'Do they have any idea-?'

'No. When either of us tried to point out the very obvious attraction, they both told us we were the crazy ones,' Meredeth explained with a shake of her head. 'I'm waiting for the day when I'll call her and he'll pick up the phone.'

Lili snickered; she'd gone back to work with her panty-hose missing one memorable afternoon when Cam was working nights and he'd surprised her with lunch in a little by-the-hour room along with some afternoon delight. 'Hell, I'll be surprised if he doesn't come back with his shirt missing buttons and lipstick on the collar.'

'And as much fun as I'm sure it'd be to play the who-will-make-the-first-move guessing-game, we should head home so you two have some privacy,' Cam said, remembering when he'd celebrated a year with Lili they'd gone to a party and as much as he enjoyed it, he'd just wanted to get her alone.

They said their goodbyes, and as Meredeth went to take the coffee dishes to the kitchen, Esposito pulled on her hand to lead her upstairs.

'It can wait. I have a present for you upstairs.'

'Funny, so do I.'

'Not that, Mere,' he said, reading her perfectly. 'Well, not only that.'

They'd just reached the staircase when the front door opened and Gil popped back in. 'Sorry, left my keys here,' he said scooping them out of the bowl by the coat rack.

'Hey,' Esposito called after him, getting Gil to stop before he went out the door again. 'Anything happen with you and Robina?'

'Meaning what?'

'Oh come on, Gil.' Meredeth leaned on the banister. 'The way you two were zinging each other at dinner and over coffee? You can't tell me nothing happened when you walked her to the subway station.'

'We, ah, may have bumped lips before she caught her train.'

Esposito grinned. 'That's more like it.'

'Well she just kept mouthing off, and before I knew it, I was shutting her up the best way I knew how.'

'It's not the stuff of Harlequin romance but it's something,' Meredeth pointed out. 'You going to actually take her out now instead of being an accidental date?'

'Baseball game, what else?' Because he wasn't in the mood to answer anymore questions, Gil lifted his hand in a small wave. 'Enjoy your one-year. See ya tomorrow at work, bro.'

Esposito watched as Gil closed the door behind him, his friend's words striking home as Meredeth took his hand and they headed for their bedroom.

A year, he mused, since this stunning creature had came into his life. All those little moments with her were like snapshots - the first time he'd gone to her apartment for pizza and the hockey game, the first time he'd spent the night with her and watched her fight her way out of a devastating night terror. The first time he'd seen her naked in the shower, it had taken all his self-discipline to not pin her to the wall and show her just how crazy that deliciously lush body drove him. His nerves and then relief over taking her to meet his family. The unwavering support when he'd been shot and she devoted herself to him with that quiet stubbornness she possessed. Her tender loving when his medication had taken its toll on his body.

The moment he knew he loved her, the one when he knew there would be no other woman for him. The day he'd bought her engagement ring and gone home to see her walking their dog. Even watching her with Dell Ryan, all he could think of was how they would have their own someday, watch them grow.

He reached into the bottom drawer of his bedside table, drew out the small wrapped box. It had very little monetary value, he knew, but the sentimental cache it carried could buy a small African nation.

Meredeth flipped open the lid on the small jeweller's box to find a simple silver ring with an inscription. As she read it, she felt her eyes fill with tears and sniffled greatly to hold them back. 'Something funny, Pablo,' she recited. 'Of course you'd remember that.'

'That was the first thing you said to me when we met.'

'Well, then I hope you appreciate this.' Meredeth slipped the ring on her right finger, then dipped into her own bedside table, gave him a flat rectangular package.

Esposito ripped open the paper, then just looked at her in surprise. 'You kept this?'

'Mm-hmm. Had it in my wallet since that night. I kept it as a kind of good-luck charm.'

'Look at that. Admit One, The Adjustment Bureau, October fourth, eight forty-five pm.' Esposito turned Meredeth's face to him, kissed her deeply. 'I think I knew from that first kiss, you were the one.'

'I think I knew, too.' Meredeth pressed a finger into his chest. 'I was thinking we might take a little soak in the tub together. I picked up some more bath salts today, the yummy coconut ones, then we could use those edible massage oils Lili gave me. You might even get to cross chocolate-dipped _skede_ off your list,' she added with a sexy little pout.

'I'll get the towels, you run the water.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	15. The LockerRoom Smackdown

The only time the locker room was ever dead as Dillinger in the Twelfth was Tuesday afternoons. Tuesdays, it seemed, were the day everyone like to use to catch up on paperwork or go home on time; as Esposito's usual day off the roll was either on Thursdays and Saturdays, he loved fitting in his workout time when the gym was a ghost town. Usually he and Ryan, or he and Gil would shoot the shit about whatever, though these days it was about the wedding. Or at least, the wedding in disguise - they talked about good food they'd eaten with the tacit understanding it was brainstorming ideas for the dinner menu, or discussing the virtues of various rock bands as the pretext for compiling a list for the DJ.

Unfortunately, he'd picked the wrong Tuesday - it was less than a week before Hallowe'en and since everyone would be either working or partying on All Hallow's Eve so everyone was backed up by a day and the locker room wasn't the usual peaceful antechamber off the loud echoing sounds of the gym.

As he emerged from the shower, having finished his run and his weight-training, Esposito was only into his boxers when he heard them. The trio of voices that brought one thing and one thing only - trouble. He pulled his toiletries kit from his gym bag, swiped the Speedstick under his arms. Maybe if he kept his face in his locker, they'd ignore him. He hadn't realized how on edge their arrival had put him until he felt a hand clap him on the shoulder. 'Jesus Christ, Gil, I thought you were one of them.'

'What, the Three Pigs?' Gil whipped off his towel, popped the door on his locker. 'You'd hear them coming before they got close.'

'How it'd go with Machete-Mouth?'

Gil only grinned, pulled on his shorts. 'Wouldn't you like to know?'

'Women talk, bro. About everything. And I live with one who only shuts her mouth when she's asleep. I'll hear about it one way or another.'

'It was good. She still thinks she's some kind of baseball know-it-all. But we actually managed to talk about something without arguing on the train back into the city.'

'She spend the night?' Esposito asked, not at all surprised when he shook his head.

'We're taking it slow, given she's a mom. Lotta baggage on both sides.'

Esposito nodded, pulled his pants over his hips; he'd just zipped up when his skin began to crawl. Like a cloud crossing the desert sun, he felt his post-workout endorphin high fade as he heard them just behind Gil. Turning, he braced himself for battle as he saw the Twelfth's Un-Holy Trinity swaggering towards them.

'Yo, Mazzara, what are you doing in the men's room? Thought your wife got your cojones in the divorce.' Tucker Lloyd, a nasty little piece of work who could have been a body-double for Alexander Skarsgard, sniggered as he taped his knuckles up for his mixed martial arts match.

'As you can see, she didn't.' Doing his best to tune them out, Gil tugged on his boxers, looped his charm of Saint Jude over his neck.

'Those Raisinettes? What would she do with them?' Greg Horton added; though smaller than the lanky Tucker, he was a hulking black-Irish thug in his own right with a pumpkin-esque head and small eyes like cloves shoved in the flesh of an apple.

Rounding out the trio of dipshits was Todd 'Cherry' Maraschino, Gil's match in size and colour, minus the distinguished bits of silver threading through his dark hair. 'Maybe she'd use 'em for naughty dice when she's playing pickle-tickle with Mark Benedict.'

'Let it go, man,' Esposito murmured when he saw his friend's knuckles whiten on the edge of his locker door. 'Just let it go.'

'Oh, what, little bitch is gonna cry?' Tucker needled, leaning closer to Gil. 'Maybe it's because you know while she had your useless balls in her purse, she had the taste of Mark's in her mouth.'

It happened so quickly Esposito barely had time to blink - Gil whipped around and lashed out like a cobra, his hand around Tucker's throat as he pinned him against the lockers. 'Gil! What the fuck!'

'When your wife screws your partner, Tucker, then we'll see who's got no balls left,' he growled as Tucker turned an ugly shade of puce while batting futilely at Gil's iron-clad grip.

Esposito, despite being the same height as Gil, was easily thirty pounds lighter but some how managed to get between the men and shoved Gil back to their side of the row. 'Easy, easy, he's not worth it,' he told the detective, who was struggling against the shoulder-hold.

'You gonna let this pussy-whipped Spic fight your fights for you?' Todd leered, getting in his own jabs.

'Esposito's probably the only one of us getting his pump primed daily.' Gil's voice was low and dangerous. ''When's the last time you had sex with a woman you love, Tucker? And I don't mean your mother.'

At this Tucker found a cache of furious energy and leapt towards Gil but found Greg had grabbed him and held him back much in the same way Esposito kept Gil subdued against their lockers. When Tucker lifted his hands in surrender, he gave Gil one last death stare, then headed out to the training rooms.

Esposito kept Gil against the lockers until the other two animals had left before he loosened his grip. 'Dude-' he started, then stopped when Gil turned furious eyes to him.

'Do me a favour.'

'Okay.'

'Next time he makes a crack about Julietta, let me pound on him.'

'Gil, you know what could happen if you beat up a fellow officer?'

'We're talking about the same guy who called Meredeth a walrus in jeans when she was in that magazine layout.'

Esposito felt his own hackles go up; he remembered the nasty slaps Tucker and his cronies had taken at Meredeth's appearance in _Bombshell_ far too well. 'Done.'

* * *

He made it home in mostly one piece, still unsettled over the whole ugly scene in the locker room. He knew Gil had had a rough summer, but he hadn't realized how deep the whole lack-of-baby-making-power had gone. Was that part of the reason he was attracted to Robina? So he could have that instant family with her and TJ?

Arturo, of course, greeted him at the door with a happy lick before trotting back into the kitchen, where Esposito saw Meredeth on the house-line, clearly excited about something.

'Okay, okay, thanks Robina! I have to go!' She rushed over to him, bouncy as as super-ball. 'You are _not_ going to believe this!'

'The cure for cancer has been found? Pepsi and Coke are the same thing? No, I got it. They found Jimmy Hoffa running a Starbucks in the Bermuda Triangle.'

Meredeth shook her head, gave a little squeal. 'Robina just told me I get to be a presenter at the Golden Globes in January!'

'What?' Esposito's jaw dropped as his fiancee all but skipped on the spot. 'Are you serious?'

'Oh yeah! She's been in meetings all day with the people organizing the ceremony and they all agreed it would be one of the best ways to promote the miniseries, get some early buzz going! So pack your bags because we're going to Hollywood in three months!' She grabbed his hands excitedly then dropped them like hot coals as she saw him wince. 'Baby, what happened to your hand?'

'Got in a fight.'

Meredeth's eyes popped, partly in surprise, partly in concern. 'With who?'

'Actually, saying I got in the middle of a fight is closer to the truth.' He sat down at the kitchen table, watched as she filled a Ziploc bag with ice. 'Gil and I were in the locker room after some weight training today, right? In walks the Three Pigs.'

'Refresh me on them?'

'Tucker Lloyd, Todd Maraschino and Greg Horton, three of the Narc bureau's biggest jackasses, the kind of cop who reminds you why we get called 'pigs'. Anyways, Tucker started taking a couple of shots at Gil leaving Julietta, so Gil put him in a chokehold. I stepped in to break it up.'

'My hero.' Meredeth came over, pressed the cold-press to his abused knuckles. 'That feel better?'

'Much. I love it when you play nurse.'

'You know, I've never understood that fantasy. You'd think with all the drugs and the violation of personal space in such a clinical way it'd be the last thing you'd think of to get in the mood for some loving.'

'Not while you've got a pretty woman catering to your every need while you flake and recuperate. That's an easy one. As I recall,' he added, standing up and tilting Meredeth's chin up to give her a kiss, 'you were a pretty naughty nurse for me when I was recovering from my gunshot wound.'

Since it was true, Meredeth could only wrinkle her nose. 'Well, you just looked so unhappy, I did what I could to cheer you up. Speaking of which, you and Ryan are on surveillance tonight right?'

'Yeah, ten to six.'

'Got time a little cheer up?'

Esposito took the ice off his knuckles, ran his hands down her back to cup her ass and lift Meredeth to her toes so they were eye-to-eye. 'For you, I've always got time.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	16. The Dress

'Lanie, am I boring you?'

'What?'

'Am I boring you?'

Lanie yawned as she lifted her head from her kitchen table. 'Sorry, Mere. Late night last night.'

'With Dave?' Meredeth glanced up from her laptop with a sparkle in her eye.

'A dead Dave, on Lex and Twenty-Eighty. He'd been crushed by the jaws of a garbage truck and left with the recycling bins on the sidewalk. My Dave is in Albany visiting his sister.' Lanie waved her hand absently in a keep-going gesture. 'So what exactly is this stuff you're doing?'

'It's called Digi-Tailor, it's a software program designers use for custom orders, like if you had an black-tie dinner to attend, or if you're getting married. They take your measurements, feed them into the settings and voila! Instant cyber-you that you send to the dressmaker and they can start on the initial work.'

'Why not just go to a bridal shop and pick out something there, then get it altered?'

'I crunched the numbers, and Momo and I found out that to have a dressmaker do it like this is almost two hundred dollars cheaper than a bridal-shop one. And this way, there's absolutely zero chance of me looking like a snow-beast in white tulle on my wedding day.'

Pursing her lips, Lanie rose to make tea for Meredeth, coffee for herself. 'If you don't mind me asking, how are you guys splitting the finances of the wedding?' It was most definitely not talked about but completely understood that Meredeth, while not as wealthy as Castle, both had money and came from money, while Esposito was a city official and therefore took home a pittance of a salary. 'Is that why you guys are having such a small wedding?'

'Not at all. Neither of us wants a huge fussy to-do, we want the people who mean the most to us having a good time and lookin' fine while they party like brain-damaged French sailors I don't want the focus of getting married to be the one day.' Meredeth paused. 'As far as splitting the financial sharing. goes, we've created a budget and we're sticking to it, not fifty-fifty down the middle, but like...okay example. He's taking care of the tuxes, I'm doing the girls' dresses. He's doing the honey-moon planning, I'm doing flowers. At the end of the day, it's balanced.'

'That sounds very healthy.'

'Well, and it helps to have a little family assistance. Momo's paying for my dress as an engagement present, and Javi's mother is doing the cake so that's two huge things that we don't have to account for. Oh, by the way, you know a Sloan Machado? She's a friend of Alexis'?'

'Sure, she was at Ryan and Honey-Milk's wedding reception. She did all the photography for them.'

'She'll be doing ours too. Said she'd only take a processing fee since we agreed to let her use our pictures in her portfolio.'

'Wow. Seems like you've discovered the secret to planning a stress-free wedding.'

'Are you kidding me?' Meredeth gave a short laugh. 'I have dreams these days not about spiders but about pouting daffodils being left out of floral arrangements and the daisies getting into leafy fistfights with the azaleas. Oh and then there was the one when I was in a dress shop and all the dresses came to life like something from _Bedknobs and Broomsticks_. My stresses no longer manifest into eight-legged freaks who want to eat me alive.'

Lanie gave a shudder; she didn't know how Meredeth had managed to sleep at night before her hypnotherapy when faced with that possibility as her night-time picture show. She poured her freshly brewed coffee into a green ceramic mug that said 'Open wide and say 'ah'' with a busty silhouette of a doctor on the side. 'I think the worst nightmare I ever had was a dream I was about to be fed to live alligators.'

'That's uncool. But yes, I am having my freak-outs like every other bride. I'm just going to save them for when I'm away doing press so that I don't turn into Bridezilla around Javi. I don't want to start our married life together with bad juju like that.' Meredeth shook her head decisively. If she learned one thing from having listened to Chin's husband and the headaches she'd caused him, she'd learned that a bride-to-be could not turn her future hubby into her own personal punching bag. 'Okay, come over tell me what you think.'

Lanie switched off the whistling kettle before she stepped over to see the computer generated image of Meredeth in a vanilla silk wedding gown that was altogether hideous. 'No.'

'No?'

'Not in the slightest.' Lanie pointed to the lines of the bateau neckline and cinched waist. 'See, a belt, even one under the bust, gives you the look of using every possible trick to suck in your gut.'

'And god knows I've got plenty of that.'

'None of that, missy.' Lanie gave Meredeth a swat. 'You want to give the illusion that your figure naturally looks like the shape tucked into the wedding dress, even if you've got a corset or bustier and fishing line and duct tape and who knows what else going on underneath it.'

Meredeth laughed, unconsciously rubbing a hand over her stomach. 'It's so strange. I told him I was considering losing some weight for the wedding, you know what his response was - why?'

'Seriously?'

'I know. Why would you want to do that, was the entire sentence. It feels like...well, like Memorial Day weekend all over again.'

Lanie cocked her head to the side as she watched her friend make adjustments on the software program. Meredeth was no pencil with tits, that was for certain, but neither was she the sister of Jabba the Hutt either; it often confused Lanie as to why Meredeth forever beat herself down over her physical appearance. 'How do you mean?'

'Um...' Meredeth sipped her tea, wished it was tequila to give her a little courage to have this conversation with her maid of honour. 'Like that weekend, when we were all going out on the boat. You and Kate both looked so stunning, you know? Like this tiny exotic spitfire and this leggy supermodel. I felt about as attractive as a pregnant rhino. Then my man comes up and tells me how the idea of see me in a bikini will get him all hot and bothered and it makes me feel like the dumbest post in the fence for being so self-critical.'

'Mere, every woman gets that.' Lanie laid a reassuring hand on her arm. 'Let me ask you something, have you two talked about babies and that?'

'Yes. He told me how I could blow up or shrink down and he'd still love me, and if I gained a few more pounds than I was comfortable with while pregnant, we'd work together to get rid of them.'

'See? He's marrying the woman, not the body and vice versa. And speaking of bodies, now we're talking!'

The two women turned their attention back to the new image of Meredeth in a wedding dress. This time, it showed the bride-to-be in sleeveless magnolia satin with a portrait neckline that would neither show no cleavage nor give the impression show a little skin was a mortal sin; the bodice skimmed over Meredeth's contours like rainwater, flared out into a basic ballgown.

'Oh, wow.'

'That's it,' Meredeth breathed. 'That's what I'm wearing when I say my vows.'

'And with the sparkly ballet flats you chose peeping out from the bottom, you'll look like a fairy princess.' Lanie paused, drank more coffee. 'Are you sure you don't want a nice pair of heels? Even one-inch Cuban dance pumps?'

'We've been through this. I don't want to be taller than my man and I'm going to have to navigate stairs in this dress. No heels.' Meredeth clicked a few buttons to save the image and send it to the dressmaker's email account then turned in her chair; she never appreciated how petite Lanie was until she was seated. With Lanie in her bare feet, Meredeth could look her in the eye from her spot at the table. 'Would you like to see the colour of your dress?'

'Absolutely, girl.'

Another few clicks and Meredeth had the image on-screen, this time of Lanie in a knee-length canary yellow silk dress; the line cut straight across the bust as a waterfall of shimmery beading tumbled down to the folds of the tea-length skirt. 'That is what you get to wear.' When Lanie said nothing, Meredeth lifted an eyebrow. 'A cough or a burp would be helpful, Lanie.'

'This is the most gorgeous bridesmaid dress I've ever seen. It doesn't look like reflector tape, it doesn't pouffy sleeves and it doesn't look like it'd stand up on its own.' Lanie wrapped her arms around Meredeth in a tight squeeze. 'Are you sure you're not a pod person?'

'If I were, I wouldn't be able to remember that you're allergic to shellfish and that your favourite movie is _Flatliners_ for some incomprehensible reason.'

'Five little words - Kiefer Sutherland in tight jeans.' Lanie gave a little 'rrrowr', making the bride-to-be laugh. 'Have you given any thought to a bachelorette party?'

'Again, in reverse. I don't want anything that might get us arrested, but I also don't want a quilting bee. And no toys requiring batteries as gifts. Anything else naughty is fine.'

'Well, there goes all my plans,' Lanie sighed, then cracked up at Meredeth's look of abject panic. 'I'm kidding. This is going to be fun.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	17. The Hallowe'en Surprises

Castle's Hallowe'en party, as it was expected to be, was nothing short of a gong show. This year the theme had been 'zombie jamboree' - everyone dressed up like dead celebrities, and once again the characters of the Twelfth Precinct didn't disappoint. Meredeth knew it would be quite the night the minute they walked into Castle's SoHo building and they saw the sign for 'Dead but Not Gone' in the shape of a tombstone by the elevators.

'This look alright?' Esposito adjusted his thin tie as he batted the cardboard cutout of a guitar painted with the design of an airplane out of his way.

'You look smashing, and I know you're not Mexican but everyone should still get that you're supposed to be Richie Valens. What about me?'

'Janis Joplin never looked better,' he replied, looking at her frayed jeans, faux-fur trimmed vest and penny-lens glasses. 'You've even got a voice like hers, that low sexy smoke.' He kissed her, brushed his thumb over her lips. 'We better be careful, or it might be our turn to end up with a Hallowe'en candy surprise at New Years Eve.'

'Agreed.'

The elevator doors opened, and they could once again see Castle's theatrical touch as they saw a red carpet had been laid from the elevator to the writer's front door, with cardboard cutouts of the paparazzi lining the walls. When they reached the door, it was opened by the man himself dressed Marlon Brando in _The Wild One_.

'Welcome to my home,' he greeted them, in a hilariously awful impersonation of Brando's distinct voice. 'My other half, Miss Hepburn, will be here when she's off shift. Miss Joplin, may I take your fur?'

'No, but you can get me a SoCo neat with a twist.'

'Seriously?'

'I like it every now and then.'

Castle disappeared, leaving them to wander amongst the guests: Lanie, as Dorothy Dandridge, was chatting with Honey-Milk who looked like Jean Harlow and standing beside her was -

'Oh holy crap,' Meredeth giggled, nudged Esposito in the ribs. 'Look who's here.'

Esposito, who'd snagged a canape from a passing waiter, nearly choked on the toasted bread and olive tapenade when he saw the direction Meredeth was pointing him in. 'Is that...Ryan?'

'Tonight, I believe it's Jim Morrison.'

Ryan had donned a shaggy, shoulder-length wig and was wearing tight leather pants with no shirt, just a string of beads around his neck and aviator sunglasses which he tipped down when he saw the new party arrivals. 'It's Richie and Janice,' he crowed, clearly having already had a few wobbly-pops. 'I'm surprised you didn't go as Ricky and Lucy.'

'I asked Castle if it was taken, and he said Alexis and Patrick had already copped it.'

'Oh, right, about that.' Lanie gestured with a perfectly manicured finger. 'Alexis and Patrick broke up a few days ago, and she's having a rough time of it, so Sloan's her date tonight; they're the Dolly twins. I have no idea either,' she added, anticipating the question, 'just smile and tell them how great they look, okay?'

Across the room Meredeth watched as Alexis, dressed as a flapper, spoke with her dad and for a moment felt a little pang of jealousy of the pretty teenager. It wasn't often she'd wondered about her father - she'd had her grandfather in her life as a male role model, then after her mother's death, she'd had bigger problems in life than wondering about her lineage. But having grown to be friends with Castle and seeing the strong relationship he had with Alexis, she couldn't help but wonder about it; with the wedding coming up it had suddenly hit home that she wouldn't be given away by anyone at the ceremony.

The thought was shoved from her mind when she felt something land on her shoulder. Glancing over, she saw a small plastic green lizard had appeared on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Ryan giving her a sloppy smile. 'You really are in a party mood tonight, aren't you?'

'S'allowe'en,' he told her, draping his arms around his partner and Meredeth. 'And I am the Lizzer King, right Jeanie?' Ryan glanced over at Honey-Milk, who was just barely keeping it together.

'Yes, hubby of mine, you are.'

Meredeth took the glass of SoCo Castle had reappeared with and took a long gulp. It was going to be one hell of a party.

* * *

The following morning, Meredeth was certain her head was going to explode. She and her fiance had gone wicked stupid on Hallowe'en punch and then proceeded to have very drunk sex in the guestroom; Esposito had suggested the bathroom to honour the Ryans' tradition but she'd had enough wits about her to point out Dell was the result of that little celebration.

Now, in the light of what she prayed was noon - they hadn't made it to bed until well after three - Meredeth rolled over in the bed to see her man on his back, still passed out cold with his face in the crook of his elbow as he snored loudly. Carefully climbing out of bed, she grabbed one of the towels Castle had put in the room and crawled into the shower, hoping the steam would help her aching head.

Fifteen minutes later, she wrapped the towel around herself and went back to the guest room to see her beloved was just waking. 'Good morning, snooze-a-roo,' she whispered. 'The shower's free.'

'I'm up.' Esposito sat up like a mummy, pressing the heel of his hand to his gritty eyes. He reached out with the other one for her hand. 'We're still at Castle's, right?'

'Yes.'

'Okay.' Esposito gave her a tired kiss, then stood up, stumbling a little from imbalance as he reached for a towel. When he opened the door, he nearly wept in relief. The hallway had filled with the scent of frying bacon and coffee as well as fresh baked bread. 'Oh, god that smells good.'

'Go shower and it'll smell even better when your head's a little clearer.'

Once dressed, Meredeth made her way noiselessly downstairs to the kitchen, then stopped as she saw Beckett and Castle wrapped in an intimate embrace by the kitchen island. It was so rare to see the straight-laced detective so vulnerable and even rare to see her so openly affectionate with Castle. It was the moments like those, however, that told Meredeth these two were as compatible as peanut butter and jam. Clearing her throat discreetly, Meredeth was almost sad to see them break apart as Beckett attended to the griddle and Castle went to the fridge to pour Meredeth an orange juice.

'Morning, bride-to-be. Thirsty?'

'Actually, I'll take a hit of that coffee, with lots of cream and sugar,' she said, sitting down at the island, then added off of Castle's confused look, 'I only drink it when I have a hangover.'

'Well, I think you could run a marathon compared to the state Ryan's going to be in this morning,' Beckett commented. 'I've worked with the guy for six years, and I've never seen him so plastered.'

'He was even worse than me the night I found out I was going to be a father, now _that_ was some spectacular drunk,' Castle added, passing Meredeth the coffee.

Knowing this was her cue to exit stage left, Beckett piled toast and bacon onto a plate along with fruit salad. 'I'm going to go see if Alexis want something to eat,' she said, passing Esposito on the stairs.

'How's Lex doing?' Esposito asked, snagging Meredeth's coffee. It was loaded with too much sugar for his taste but it was coffee at the very least.

'She's had better days, but she'll get through it. And I've been keeping the freezer stocked with no less than five different kinds of ice cream which helps.'

'She's lucky to have such an understanding father.'

Castle cleared his throat, hoping he wouldn't sound too clumsy. 'I have something I need to talk to you two about, and it's pretty serious. About the wedding. I've been thinking about this for a few weeks now, and I'd like to step out of the wedding party.'

'Richard,' Meredeth started but he steamrolled over her.

'-Because if you're okay with it, I'd like to give you away at the altar.' When Meredeth said nothing, Castle swallowed as he fumbled for his rational. 'I couldn't get it out of my head. No bride should have to walk down the aisle alone, least of all you, and if it hadn't been for me setting my boy here up on such a bad date, he wouldn't have stormed out of that restaurant and met you.'

'Of course you can,' she said thickly, rising from her chair and skirting the island to hug him. 'I'd be so completely honoured.'

Castle held onto her tightly as well, looked at Esposito who looked as moved as Meredeth. 'I know it shorts you on an usher but-'

'It's okay. I'll ask Cam to do it.' He knew his brother-in-law wouldn't be offended at being a replacement usher; Cam had already opted to be the fill-in guy if anyone else had to drop out for some unknown reason since he still felt slightly self-conscious over the fact he had to walk with a cane at the age of thirty-five. 'You know that means you'll be stuck with the women prior to the ceremony, right?'

'Please after the bachelor party I'm throwing you, you'll be relieved not to see me for a couple of hours.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	18. The Birthday Gift

The morning she turned thirty-two, Meredeth awoke with a rolling stomach and clogged sinuses. With one hand over her mouth, she made a dash for the ensuite and stared the toilet down as if to say _you're not winning this round_. Unfortunately, Meredeth's body had different plans and she pitched forward. When she was certain she was done and no internal organs had been dislodged, she flushed the toilet and stuck her mouth under the sink's faucet for a drink for before she went to the closet. After making a trail of bath towels from her side of the bed to the ensuite's door, she picked up her cell off the bedside table and saw her man had texted her.

_Hey Mere, heading home soon, anything you want for b-day breakfast? xx J._

She texted back a short message - _Hi Javi, woke up with the flu, gravol and something from the Salamander would be nice xx M. - _before rolling over and dozing off again.

The next thing she felt was the light stroke of fingers on her arm, followed by the smell of him - honey and sandalwood aftershave he always used. She groaned a little, curled into a ball.

'Hey birthday girl.' Esposito sat on the edge of the bed, tapped her on the thigh. 'How you feeling?'

Meredeth rolled over to greet him, then sat up as the fresh wave of nausea hit. 'Out of my way,' she managed, shoving the love of her life aside as she made a mad dash for the ensuite and slamming the door.

As he blocked out the sound of his fiancee throwing up, Esposito loosened his tie, stripped off his suit in favour of sleep-sweats. He knew she'd been feeling iffy since Hallowe'en and had prayed it would pass quickly; he hated seeing his babe sick.

He heard the toilet flush, watched her stagger out, looking miserable as a wet cat. Saying nothing, he just turned back the covers for her and watched as she crawled in. She immediately turned on her side while he stretched out on his stomach beside her and brushed a hand over her sweaty brow.

'I feel disgusting.'

'I know, baby.'

'And it's my birthday. This isn't fair.'

'You still going to make it for lunch with Lili?'

Meredeth snorted. 'At this point I'll be thankful to make it downstairs for tea.'

'I'll call her, see if she can come here instead.'

He went downstairs to the kitchen to boil the kettle; as the water heated Esposito called his sister. 'Hey, Lili, deal's off, she's in bed with the flu,' he told her when she answered. 'Can you call the girls and let them know your little surprise party is canceled?'

'Oh, okay, ah, sure, I just...no, that's fine.'

'Lil? Are you okay?'

'No, I'm just, I'm at Duane Reade's picking up some things.'

'Shouldn't you be at the hotel?'

Lili's sigh was impatient. 'I took a personal day. Is, ah, Meredeth okay if I stop by?'

'Don't see why not.'

Esposito hung up the phone, brewed Meredeth some tea. All the women in his life were being weird today - Meredeth was sick, Lanie hadn't stopped grinning the entire time they were in the morgue prior to the surveillance detail he, Ryan and Castle were assigned to, and his sister sounded like she'd stepped out of the ring from a boxing match with Lucia Rijker. Even Beckett had been acting slightly funny, typing to the tune of what he thought was _In the Mood_.

Because he really wanted to earn the good fiance points, since he couldn't exactly give her the birthday wake-up call he'd planned to give her upon arriving home, Esposito took a container of soup from the freezer and zapped it in the microwave. While it heated, he went over to the drawer to get out her birthday card and gift - she never went in the drawer where he kept his side-arm when he was off duty making it the safest hiding spot in the house - before adding the crowning touch. With everything arranged on the tray, he grabbed his treasured beer-bottle vase, the very same one when he'd made her dinner after her January signing and slipped in one of the dozen yellow tulips he'd bought for her birthday. They'd cost almost as much as her gift as they were out of season but he didn't care. She was his Meredeth.

Making sure Arturo wasn't underfoot, he carried the tray upstairs and was a little surprised to see her sitting up in bed with her portable DVD player on her lap. Her face was still pale as bleached flour but when she looked at him her eyes were bright and alert.

'Oh, Javi, look at you,' she said in a much stronger voice. 'You didn't have to do this.'

'It's your birthday, you are my queen. Only instead of cupcakes, you get a cup of soup.'

Meredeth shoved the duvet aside to create a little flat spot for the tray. 'I decided to put _Fellowship of the Ring _on the player. It works better than Ambien as a sedative.'

'Well don't get too cozy because Lili's stopping by,' he told her, settling in beside her as she picked up the tea and blew on it gently.

They'd made it to Arwen's rescue of Frodo when the doorbell rang, sending Arturo into a frenzy; as predicted it was Lili and the look on her face was one he hadn't seen since she'd gotten word Cam was injured but coming home. 'Hey, _hermano_. How's the lady of the house?'

'Better. She's upstairs.'

'Okay.' Lili brushed past him, nearly forgot her shoes were still on until Esposito pointed it out to her. 'Oh, thanks.'

Esposito shook his head as he followed her up to the master bedroom; was it a full moon or something? He stood at the door, leaning against the frame as he watched Lili take things out of her bag.

'Sorry I'm late, but I had to stop at the drugstore.'

Meredeth choked and sputtered on her tea, set the cup aside and looked at Esposito, who'd come over to investigate. He saw Lili had taken out things like a wrapped birthday gift with card, scotch mints, an extra box of Kleenex.

And two home pregnancy tests. Esposito looked from Lili to Meredeth. 'I didn't ask her to get you those, Mere, I swear.'

'I know you didn't.' Lili glanced up at her brother. 'It's for me, you fruit. I wanted to do it here, in case...in case Felicity called.'

'Oh, Lucita.' Now Esposito understood her distress: Lili and Cam couldn't wait to have kids, and had been trying since the summer, but when they'd broken the news to Cam's mother Felicity she'd accused Lili of somehow trapping him. Though it made no sense to either Esposito or Meredeth, both of them understood it made Lili very upset. He sat down beside his sister, wrapped his arms around her as she breathed deeply. 'Hey, it'll be fine.'

'I'm scared, Javi. There's two tests in each box, that's four tests.'

'You want to wait, see the doctor?'

'No, I'm a big girl. I can do this.' With a bracing breath, Lili took the box into the bathroom, quietly closed the door.

While Lili took the biggest test of her life, Meredeth shook her head at Esposito. 'I know you didn't ask her, Javi, because you wouldn't get two. You'd buy me every last one on the shelf just to make sure.'

'Yes I would, and then we'd recreate the conception to celebrate,' he replied, giving her a small kiss then wrinkling his nose. 'Babe, soon as Lili's done in there, you need a toothbrush.'

She punched him in the shoulder, then froze as Lili came out of the bathroom. The look of shock on her face was unreadable as either good or bad. 'So, Lucita? What's the verdict?'

Overcome, Lili nodded as her eyes spilled over, a ghost of a smile around her lips. 'Uh-huh.'

'All four?'

'Uh-huh.'

In a flash, Meredeth was out of bed and across the room to embrace the weeping Lili, as Esposito picked up his cell and dialed his brother-in-law. 'Hey, Cam, someone here who wants to talk to you.'

He passed the phone to Lili, who sniffled greatly. 'Cameron? It's me...yeah, everything's fine...I took the tests...you're gonna be a daddy.' She pressed her hand to her eyes as she gave a water laugh, sank onto the foot of the bed. 'Cam, Cam calm down...no, I'm at Mere and Javi's...okay...okay...I love you too.'

Lili snapped her brother's phone shut. 'He's on his way over, he's getting someone to cover for him at the hospital. I heard him telling one of the other nurses his wife's pregnant.' She started to giggle again; soon it grew into a full-on, joyful laugh of delight. 'That's me. I'm pregnant. I'm going to have a baby.' She jumped off the bed, turned to Meredeth and Esposito. 'I'm having a baby!'

'Congrats, _hermana_.' Esposito caught his sister in a fierce embrace, his throat clogged. Little Lili was going to be a mother. 'I'm so happy for you.'

'You're going to be a great mom,' Meredeth added, as Lili spun away from her brother to find some tissues; she took the opportunity to give Esposito a warm kiss on the cheek.

'Happy birthday, Tia Merry. Wait what's the word in Danish?'

'_Tante_.'

'Okay, then, Happy birthday, _tante_ Merry.'

'And Happy Guy Fawkes Day, _tio_ Javi.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	19. The Dress Fitting

It was Saturday morning and Meredeth was awoken by soft, firm hands gliding over her body. Her eyelids had barely fluttered open when she felt Esposito's lips graze over hers, in the lightest of teasing kisses.

'Good morning Writer-Girl,' he murmured against her lips.

'Good morning Detective,' she replied, then felt her eyes pop as he pulled her close. '_Really_ good morning.'

Esposito chuckled, traced his fingertips up her side to her breast before he closed his hand over it, the pad of his thumb brushing against her bare nipple. 'Always nice to start the day with a bang,' he joked, earning a groan from Meredeth.

'That may be the cheesiest line you've ever used on me.'

'It's only a line if it works. So what are you up to this morning while Castle takes me down to his barbershop before work?'

'I'm going to the dressmaker's for a fitting with my bridesmaids.'

'Why can't I see it before next August? How will you know if I like it or not?'

'Trust me, you will.' Meredeth gave him a quick peck on the lips. 'I'm going to go hop in the shower. You coming?'

'You bet I am.'

Meredeth went to the ensuite, turned on the shower and stepped in; she'd barely dampened her hair when Esposito stepped in behind her. She felt him close to her body as he reached for the bottle of cucumber body wash she used every day. Before she could ask him what he was up to, he'd smeared the pale green liquid soap between his hands and was running them over her shoulders, down her back, then up her stomach to her breasts. The feeling of being dirty while getting clean had decadent delight shivering through her as he gently massaged them, fingers stroking deftly over the heated, sensitive points.

She turned around to kiss him, the steaming water sluicing over theirs heads. His mouth was firm but yielding under hers, his hands pressed between her shoulder blades, then coursing down her back to her hips to pull her close, the evidence of his arousal pressing into her skin.

'My turn.'

She lathered the soap between her hands, gently spinning him away from her so she could work the foamy bubbles into his skin; the sound he made was somewhere between a sigh and a groan. Her hands were not meant to be sensual in anyway, just simply cleansing, which made his skin heat all the more. Pushing her body close to his, Meredeth slid her hands around to his stomach, one staying by his navel while the other drifted south and brushed against him before closing around him.

'God, Mere.' Esposito's head dropped forward at the feel of those clever fingers touching him, stroking him into delirious pleasure. He felt it gather in him like a thundercloud, as Meredeth nipped at his shoulder with teeth and lips. The feel of her, the scent of her made him close his own fingers over hers to ease her grip away so he could turn to face her. When he did, he saw her eyes had gone huge and dark, her mouth pouty and lush.

'Now,' she murmured, and nearly reached out to help guide him inside her, but instead found turned around as he said in her ear, 'Easier this way.'

With a nip at her earlobe he pushed himself inside her, relishing the drawn-out 'oh' she made; Esposito took one of her hands in his own and pressed them against the wall of the shower as he kept the other low on her belly to give himself some balance as he thrust himself inside her. Her head lolled to the side and he indulged himself in grazing his teeth over the curve of her neck. He nearly lost his mind as he heard her breathy moans that she was coming, and she did so in one giant burst, clenching around him like a vise. He let go of her hand from the wall to run it over the smooth, damp skin of her back as he followed her into glorious release.

Meredeth wasn't sure if she' still had legs or if it was just Esposito holding her up but one thing was for certain - whether it was on or above, her man rocked the water-sex. She edged forward, propped her forehead against the wall as he held onto the towel bar.

'Definitely fun to start the day with a bang,' she said, her voice smug and satisfied.

'Agreed.' Feeling as satisfied as she sounded, he reached past her for the shampoo. 'Wanna wash my hair?'

* * *

An hour later, after more than just water-sports in the shower and they'd actually gotten cleaned up for the day, Meredeth met all four members of her bridal party outside the dressmaker's shop.

'You're looking very alert for someone who doesn't call herself a morning person,' Beckett commented with a purse of her lips into a smile. 'Did we have a little sugar on the cereal?'

'Maybe,' was all Meredeth would say. 'Why, didn't you?'

'No, Castle's more of what you call a night-hawk.'

'So's Ryan,' Honey-Milk added, holding the door open for Lili. 'What about you, Miss Mommy-to-Be? Cam gets it up when the sun goes down?'

'He works shift work so he's a real any time guy.'

'Ah, like pizza, good for breakfast, lunch and dinner.' Lanie giggled, which made Beckett roll her eyes.

'Okay, enough of that, would you please us why you've been so god-damn sparkly for the last two weeks?'

Lanie, one of the most respectable professional women Meredeth had ever met, chewed on her pinky fingernail like a naughty schoolgirl. 'Okay, fine. Dave and I said I love you to each other for the first time.'

All the women cooed as they went inside and were instantly in another world - there were soft incandescent lights overhead and the air smelled lightly of jasmine. Everywhere they turned in the showroom was one beautiful gown after another, on mannequins of various shapes, sizes and colours. IN the middle of the room was a circular welcome counter over which a hand-carved sign read _Van Valken Tailors. _As they sat on the plush benches, one of the sales agents walked up to the group, a wand of a woman with flaming red hair that made tomatoes look pale. 'Welcome, I'm Angela. This is the Esposito-Coleman party?'

'Yes.' Meredeth stepped forward, butterflies in her stomach. 'I'm Meredeth Coleman, the bride.'

'Lovely. Margha will be with you momentarily, in the mean time I need the three bridesmaids to come with me.'

As Beckett, Honey-Milk and Lili headed off, Lanie stayed with Meredeth in the reception area. 'Is that what you're going by when you tie the knot? Esposito-Coleman?'

'Nope. I'll be Meredeth Dakkars Esposito across the board. I want to be traditional.'

'Meredeth?'

The bride-to-be glanced over when she saw Margha Van Valken, owner of the shop waiting for her by the counter. Margha was a squat Dutch woman, round as a moon and eagle-eyed. 'Hi Margha.'

'And Miss Lanie, nice to see you. I have your dresses ready to try on, if you'll come with me.'

A few minutes later, Lanie emerged from the changing booth feeling like a duchess in her dress. She walked over to the podium with the angle mirrors to look at herself. 'I never want to take this off,' she sighed, loving the way the vibrant yellow made her skin look like smooth hot chocolate as Margha adjusted the hemline with pins. Over her shoulder, she saw the others wander over for a look - Beckett in pinky-orange coral, Honey-Milk in soft green and Lili in watermelon pink - and grinned. 'I think we can all agree we'll be the hottest bridesmaids in history.'

'Agreed, even if by the time I get to wear my dress, it'll be with a post-baby body,' Lili pointed out.

'But think of the cleavage you'll be rocking from breast-feeding. Ryan was drooling over the twins twenty-four seven,' Honey-Milk reminded her, waggling her fingers at her own breasts.

Beckett resisted the urge to fold her arms across her chest; she'd never had big boobs, not like these other women did, but at least her man didn't seem to mind. Thankfully, her focus was torn away when she heard the door to her right open, and a vision stepped out. 'Oh, Meredeth,' was all she could say. The other three turned and sighed in appreciation as Meredeth stepped onto the podium Lanie had vacated.

Her dress was beautiful, just as she'd designed it - magnolia white satin draped perfectly over her body, the portrait neckline flattering her size 42-D bust rather than making it look heavier, the ballgown skirt and bodice showcasing her curvy body perfectly.

'Meredeth, you look stunning,' Lili breathed, folding her hands together over her heart. 'Javi's going to think he's marrying an angel.'

'It's just exquisite,' Honey-Milk sighed.

From her spot front of the mirrors, Meredeth wrung her hands. 'I look like a pretty princess and I'm going to cry so someone say something so I don't.'

'Castle wore my underwear to work last week,' Beckett said without hesitation, which earned her looks ranging from baffled to inquisitive from the other women.

'Seriously? His big bubbly behind fit into your drawers?' Lanie asked, arching an eyebrow.

Beckett rolled her eyes. 'Of course not, I just made that up,' she said, then pointed at Meredeth who was shaking like a paint-mixer from held-in laughter. 'But it stopped you from blubbering, didn't it?'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	20. The Honeymoon Planning

The Monday morning after Thanksgiving, Esposito took half a personal day in order to get himself and two of his ushers fitted with wedding attire. While Cam was discreetly looked after in one of the private stalls, Ike and Esposito batted around honeymoon ideas; who better to help than a pair of happily married men on that front.

'Japan?'

'Meredeth's already been. I want to take her somewhere neither of us have gone.'

'Fiji?'

'I can't afford Fiji. Besides, it's too isolated.'

'Don't you want to be having wild hot sex on the beach on your honeymoon?'

Esposito sent Ike a baleful look. 'Think about what you just said.'

'Oh, right.' From his spot in front of the mirrors at Giacamo's, Ike glanced over to see Esposito sitting in a comfortable wingback chair and grinning at him. 'You don't need a private, exotic beach; you two could have hot sex on the kitchen floor.'

'We have.'

'Lili and I went to Venice after I got back from my first tour.' Cam had emerged from the private alterations room, walked over to see the other men getting their suits fixed up. 'And tell Castle from me thanks for recommending this place. Last time I had to have suit alterations done, the guy kept telling me to stand up straight and I kept telling him I was. He seemed to think my buddy here-' he picked his cane up and shook it '-was me being a pretentious fool.'

'About that.' Ike didn't want to step on toes but it was a question on his mind. 'Why the whole switcheroo for the wedding party? Castle need to skip town or something, head down May-hi-co way?'

'Or something,' Cam echoed, drumming his fingers on his cane as he sat beside his brother-in-law. 'Writer-Guy dropped out so he could be the one to walk Meredeth down the aisle, which means I'm stepping in. Meredeth and Javier both guessed right that I'd be more comfortable walking with Lili down the aisle.'

'And since in her heels Beckett's taller than Gil, you're the only guy left to escort my boss,' Esposito added.

Ike held up his arms like a scarecrow as the tailor came over to tuck and mark the folds of the tux. 'Did Mazzara finally man up and take Machete-Mouth out?'

'Her name's Robina and yes, he did.' Esposito shook his head; the last time he'd seen Gil he'd actually been texting her for dinner plans. 'So far it seems to be going well.' He stood up from the chair, looked at Ike in his tux. 'Bring back memories?'

'A little. It's more fun this time around, since I don't have to worry about getting the words right in my vows.' Ike hadn't screwed it up, as he and Carol had done the traditional ones and repeated everything the minister said. 'What about taking her on a cruise around the Greek islands?'

'She isn't so keen on cruises, nor am I. Being stuck in a floating hotel for two weeks doesn't hold much appeal.'

'So you want the best of both worlds - exotic, but with stuff to do.'

Esposito chewed on this as he changed into the tux in the changing booth. Meredeth was well traveled - she'd been to England and France, Denmark and Japan, Bermuda, parts of Canada, even Hawaii on a layover. She knew she wanted to go to Germany and Iceland and Rio, but none of them seemed just quite right. If it hadn't been for her ruling it out, he'd have suggested an adventure tour of Australia - hiking, surfing, diving, things he'd done when he'd gone to Puerto Rico and she hadn't, things he wanted to introduce her to and share with her. What better place to do that than a honeymoon, was his rational, but he also understood why she put the kibosh on the Land of Oz.

He came out of the booth, stepped over to the mirrors. The black silk of the suit was smart and chic, and he could see right away his fiancee had made the right call on a necktie versus a bowtie - they'd just look like overdressed waiters.

'What about Ireland?' he queried as the tailor made his adjustments. 'Ryan said he and Jenny loved it there.'

'Because there's a strong sentimental value to the motherland,' Cam told him. 'My mother still gets weepy I wore my dress uniform and not a George or Cameron tartan-kilt when I married Lili. Of course, she isn't even speaking to me these days.'

'Things are that bad huh?'

Cam's gripped tightened around the head of his cane, glanced over as he saw Ike step out of the changing booth in his street clothes. 'She told Lili she had to get rid of it,' he said between his teeth.

At this, Esposito's head snapped around. 'What?'

'We'd been to the doctor's, had the first sonogram done and heard the heartbeat for the first time. It's so beautiful.'

'I know,' Ike agreed. 'My boy's eleven and I still remember looking at that screen with Carol, hearing that little noise.'

'Anyways, we were so excited to share it with my mother, so we went to her place for lunch and told her. She just got this weird look on her face like she'd swallowed a mouthful of vinegar and told the two of us it was unacceptable and that Lili had to get rid of it.'

'What does your mother have against Lili?' Esposito asked, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists at his sides, ready to defend his little sister's honour.

'She's Puerto-Rican, plain and simple.'

Ike held up a finger. 'She actually told you that?'

'After she told my wife and I we had to abort our baby, dear old Mum and I got into a donnybrook of words, and it came tumbling out she thought I'd have come to my senses and stopped rebelling like a spoiled child by now. A baby with a woman like her means I'd never have a shot at finding a good girl to settle down with.'

'My sister is a good woman. She's educated, she loves her family, she's got a good job and goes to church on a regular basis. For God sakes you're the only guy she's even slept with; how much more 'good' can you get?'

Cam blushed a little at his brother-in-law's knowledge that he was the only man who'd been intimate with Lili, but nonetheless nodded in agreement. 'I pointed all of this out to her, but all Mum says is 'She's a Latina, Cameron, they're all trashy and looking for a rich white husband, and because you were so blinded by animal lust you let yourself get trapped by one'.'

'She called my sister, _my _sister, trashy.' Esposito forced himself to breath deeply so the angry red dots in front of his face would disappear. 'That is the most asinine thing I've heard in my life.'

'So we're not speaking right now. I told her until you get over yourself and see that I'm in love with my wife and unborn child, you and I have nothing to say to each other.'

'Man, I'm sorry.' Ike stepped over, patted Cam's shoulder. He didn't know the man well but he did like him, and knew there was nothing worse than a feud in a family over who married whom. Hoping it would cheer him, Ike switched the conversation back to a happier topic. 'When is she due?'

'June fifteenth. She'll be spared the hell of being pregnant over the summer. According to Ryan, it's a real bitch.'

Esposito only rolled his eyes. 'He talks a big game but no one was a bigger pussy over his wife than him. Well you remember, when Jenny was having those false contractions when I had you all over for poker.'

'Esposito, since you are probably going to be the last to join the daddy club, I can assure you however tough you think you are, when you see the woman you love carrying your child you go to jelly.' Ike rubbed his hand over his smooth, bald head. 'How's she handling it so far?'

'No more morning sickness. Cravings up and down the wall. Wants nothing but chicken enchiladas for a week, then on the eighth day chicken makes her sick, so now it's green salads with fresh fruit. Hormones haven't kicked in yet, but I'm just waiting for that one.' Cam tried not to grin so as to not embarrass Esposito. 'Ryan had some insight on that one, too.'

'I don't need to hear about you nailing my horny baby sister.' Even saying the words made Esposito shudder a little. 'New topic. Any other ideas for a honeymoon?'

'What about New Zealand? It's beautiful there, lots of stuff to see and do, lots of beaches, and you said Meredeth's a real film buff right? You can actually take her to some places from _Lord of the Rings_.'

Esposito could actually hear the mental _click_ as he pondered it; New Zeland was like the little Australia, without the night-terror inducing wildlife. They could have the best of both worlds there, like Ike had said - exotic and active. 'Now we're talking.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	21. The Priest

With only three weeks before Christmas, Esposito was feeling more than a little stressed, as the wind-up to the holidays always brought more cases, particularly those who needed a court appearance before the new year for statute of limitations reasons. As a result, he'd been forced to leave the details of the wedding with Meredeth. It was a feeling he didn't like, but they also had a lot more accomplished than most couples did in such a short space of time.

This one, however, he did not want to put off any longer, nor did he expect Meredeth to do it alone - meeting with Father Paolo. As Esposito parked the car by the youth center when Father Paolo had asked them to meet him, Meredeth fidgeted in the passenger's seat.

'Hey squirmy,' Esposito commented as he shut off the engine. 'He's not going to make you eat a live snake, or something like that. He just wants to meet with us and get a feel for what kind of ceremony we're having so he can prepare.'

'Okay.'

Esposito leaned over, gave her a sweet kiss. 'Love you.'

'Love you too.'

They walked into the youth center and were directed in the direction of the indoor basketball courts. Esposito remembered the ritual well: Father Paolo always refereed three-on-three matches with the altar boys while holding debates about what it meant to be a good Christian. Sure enough, as they approached the six boys who were just finishing up their game, the salt-and-pepper haired man whose shirt read San Gabriel's Spears was speaking to the group in a very relaxed, informal way. He was roughly sixty-five with dark, comforting eyes and a build more like a boxer than a cleric. His voice was commanding yet his tone was easy as he chatted with the young men.

'How can you say that someone who doesn't hear sermons isn't a good Catholic? What about the deaf? They'd use an interpreter, or the blind would use their hands to read a Braille copy of a hymn. God gave us five senses, who are we to decide which one is best to hear His word?'

Father Paolo glanced up, his face splitting into a grin when he saw Esposito at the edge of the court. 'Take this man here. He does not attend Mass every Sunday, however, he is a police officer and serves the law. Doesn't a good Catholic pursue justice? Something to think about for next week. Tidy up, hit the showers. If God had intended you to smell like an animal, He wouldn't have given us soap,' he told them as they scuttled off, then stepped over to warmly embrace Esposito. 'Good to see you my son.'

'You too, Father.'

Father Paolo's eyes shined as he turned his attention to Meredeth. 'And this is the bride-to-be. Father Paolo Telmo.'

'Meredeth Coleman.'

'It's lovely to meet you, my dear. I've heard wonderful things about you from Rosie and Alejo. We'll talk in my office, here.'

Father Paolo's space was a blend of sports and religious paraphernalia - posters of his favourite baseball and basketball players were interspersed with portraits of the Virgin Mary and the Pope while on the wall above his desk was a string of prayer beads from which dangled a cross, a whistle, and a Knicks key-fob.

'Can I offer you something cold? Iced tea or a Coke?' He reached into his mini-fridge for a sports drink.

'Oh, Coke would be great.' Meredeth accepted his offered, twisted the top off the soft drink bottle.

'So,' Father Paolo began as he cracked open his Gatorade and pulled out a notepad to make some preliminary notes, 'the details. Location, date, time.'

'August thirtieth, at Bethesda Terrace, sometime in the afternoon. We haven't specified that yet,' Esposito replied.

'Wedding party is how many?'

'Four ushers, four bridesmaids, and two ring bearers.' Meredeth smiled at Esposito. They'd decided to ask Ike's son Tim and Robin's son TJ to be the ring bearers and have Dell be an honorary third. While neither Tim nor TJ were too thrilled with the idea of being forced to wear ties they were over the moon about being in the wedding and getting to dress like the men.

'Good, good, are any of the wedding party reading passages?'

Esposito glanced at Meredeth and shook his head. 'We know we don't want First Corinthians, or Song of Solomon.'

'Planning in reverse is still planning,' Father Paolo pointed out, smiling as he made notes. 'Another perspective is always helpful. Anything you are sure you'd like included?'

'The one about two being better than one would be good.' Meredeth coloured in embarrassment. 'I don't know the proper name.'

'I understand which passage you mean, Meredeth. Since this is a blended ceremony, are you interested in a full Mass being said in the park?'

Esposito had considered this point for a long time, since before he'd even purchased Meredeth's ring. He knew that if there was a full Mass, Meredeth would undoubtedly feel pressured. On the other hand, he'd never hear the end of it from his mother if he had a non-denominational wedding as her only request as mother of the groom was that it be a Catholic ceremony.

'I think we'll have the readings and the blessings but no Communion. I don't want Meredeth to participate in a Catholic ritual when it's not who she is. And we agreed we want three readings - one from the Bible, one from literature and a third we haven't decided on yet.'

Father Paolo nodded, made more notes. 'It sounds like you're off to a good start,' he said, then set his note pad aside. 'I'm looking forward to doing this ceremony. I'm sure you know this boy is a special one for me.'

'Yes, I've heard the stories.'

'Did he tell you about when he and Max Fernando put a box of frogs into the girls' choir practice room?'

'Many times.' Meredeth picked up his hand, squeezed lightly.

'I would have gotten away with it too if Lili hadn't recognized the printing on the box. She ratted me out.'

'No worse than when you busted her for sneaking out to go to an R-rated movie with her friends.'

Father Paolo drank more Gatorade. 'Tell me about yourself, Meredeth.'

'I'm thirty-two, born and raised in New York. My mother was a single parent, she died when I was eleven and her mother, my Momo, raised me after she was gone. I studied film and literature at Columbia, did a master's in film history there, and I've been working for _Critical Condition_ since before I graduated. I'm on leave from them right now, as the first of my six graphic novels has been in production for a miniseries.'

'That's wonderful. What about your life with Javier?'

'He treats me fantastically. There's been last minute changes of plans, dinners interrupted of course because of his job but that's part of being in love with a cop. He makes it up to me when he can, in the little things. Like I had the flu on my birthday this year, and he'd just come home off of overnight surveillance detail, and he made me lunch in bed. Small things like that mean more to me than gold, and I like to think I've returned that to him.'

'Of course you have.' Esposito liked his fingers through hers. 'She's an amazing cook, really just aces,' he told Father Paolo, 'and she always makes sure I've got healthy food for work. Being a cop you don't always get a break, so taking homemade things with me on the go gives me an...I don't know, a boost, you'd say. And of course, her sticking with me when I got shot. Only way she'd leave my side was if she knew someone was with me so I wouldn't be alone. I wouldn't have made it through without her.'

'And your sex life?'

Meredeth choked on her Coke, turned red as the label. 'Excuse me?'

'I'm not a sexually deprived dirty old priest, Meredeth.' Father Paolo leaned forward. 'I've lived in the real world and I know that it takes compatibility in the bedroom to produce a happy and healthy relationship.'

'We're very happy, and healthy and compatible, sir,' she said in a rush, uncomfortable to be talking about the subject with a priest, of all people. 'In the bedroom, and other places.'

Now it was Esposito turn to colour in the cheeks. 'Mere,' he muttered but there was a small smile on his face as he did so.'

'Hey, he asked, I answered honestly.'

Father Paolo smiled as he watched the couple; it was plain to see they were very much in love, and even easier to see they considered each other an equal partner. He made a short list of words on his pages - _balance, equity, unity_ - that he wanted to include in his speech for the service. 'I think this is an excellent starting point for me to work with. I hope you'll come around at least once or twice before the wedding, so we can become better acquainted,' he said with a glance at his watch. 'I'm sorry to cut our time short, but I have a meeting with a young family who are having the baptism of their first child on Saturday and we need to go over some things.'

'No problem, Father, and thanks again.'

They left the priest in his office, headed back to the car. Once there, Esposito couldn't resist. 'You see? Told you.'

'Alright, alright, I give. He's pretty cool.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	22. The PreBachelorette Party

'Do you have any idea what they're up to?'

'Not a clue. I think it's the first time in her life Lili's kept a secret.'

Esposito slapped on aftershave, poked his head out the door. 'There is a reason the family calls her Fog-Horn Lili-Horn. There, how do I look?'

Meredeth looked away from her vanity mirror watched as Esposito came out of the ensuite, did a little spin. He was in his dark jeans and a pressed shirt as he did a little spin like a Milan runway model. 'Like a guy on his way to the Knicks game with his best friend who can't wait to oggle the cheerleaders.'

'Too skinny. They ain't draggin' no waggon.' He pulled Meredeth to her feet, hands on her hips before sliding them around to her ass while he kissed her. 'Not like this juicy booty.'

Meredeth gave him a kiss as she picked her boots up from the closet floor, holding his hand as they went downstairs. She'd just stuffed her toes in when she heard the knock on the door, opened it to see Lanie dressed in a warm looking red pea-coat, a matching tam over her waving curls and a gift bag in her hand.

'You ready for this?' Lanie asked with a wide grin.

'I suppose. I don't know what this is.' Meredeth swung her coat on, gave her fiance a kiss. 'Have fun. Love you babe.'

'Love you too.'

The women headed out in the brisk December air; the weather gods had played nicely and held off with major snow with only a week and a half before Christmas, leaving only a light white frosty shimmer over everything.

'So what do you have planned for tonight?'

'Just you wait, girl,' Lanie chided her as they made their way into the subway station and caught the train to West Fifty-Fourth Street. On the other end of the line, Meredeth saw Beckett, Lili and Honey-Milk already there and waiting, Lili with a camera, Honey-Milk with a sash that read 'Bride to Be' and Beckett a little plastic tiara. All three were carrying gift bags of some kind and sporting ridiculously cute flowers in their hair.

'What's all this?'

'Just you wait and see.'

* * *

They took her Marty and Teeny, a martini bar with a double menu - the 'Martys' for everyone and the 'Teenys' for people who couldn't or didn't drink alcohol. The minute they'd checked their coats, Honey-Milk draped the sash over her shoulder while Beckett plunked the tiara on her head with Lili photographing the whole thing. They settled into their booth with Meredeth wedged in the middle, Lanie and Beckett on her right and Lili and Honey-Milk on her left. They stowed the gift bags on the table with the exception of Beckett's large bag as they perused the menu of beverages.

'Just so you know, your bill's on me,' Lanie added, debating between a Boston Tea Party Martini or a Kamikaze.

'Oh, Lanie-'

'I'm the maid of honour, it's my duty to get you all liquored up at your pre-bachelorette party. I'll take a Boston Tea Party, the bride to be will have a Deep Blue Sea,' Lanie told the server who'd come to their order.

'A Butterscotch Manhattan for myself,' Beckett added.

'And we'll both take the Sparkly Crab-Apple Teenys.' Lili finished the table's order off before clapping her hands together. 'Okay, game time! What'll it be, the Purity Test or Blushing Bride Bingo?'

Beckett snickered. 'Purity Test. We all tease her about her sex life, but we need some facts.'

Lanie fished out the questions pages from the bag on floor; as their drinks were served, Meredeth took a bracing sip of the neon blue cocktail. 'Okay, bride-to-be, question one - have you ever kissed your fiance?'

'You know the answer to that. Of course I have.'

'Relax, girlfriend, these get pretty spicy.'

As the game continued, Meredeth discovered Lanie was right - the game got racier the closer they got too number one-hundred; thankfully there was plenty of liquor for her to feel less embarrassed.

'Question seventy-three. Have you and your fiance had sex more than three times in one night?'

Meredeth drained her martini and nodded. 'Yes ma'am. The record's five.'

All four pairs of eyes popped out of their respective skulls. 'Go Esposito,' Beckett murmured, suddenly jealous; her own so-called ladies' man boyfriend had tapped out at three in one night. 'When was this?'

'Night we decided to move in together. Started in the guest room, then the living room, then the kitchen, then the bathroom, and finally, around two am we made it to the master bedroom.' Meredeth snorted, as she munched on the orange slice garnish of her glass. 'That sounded dirty. Master bedroom.'

'How is that possible? Was he poppin' the little blue pills?' Honey-Milk asked, giddy on the sugar from her own beverages.

'Nuh-uh. All Javi, all natural, all night.'

'Lucky bitch,' Lili mumbled into her apple cider and soda.

'You know it's _your_ brother she's talking about right?' Lanie chuckled at Lili vehemence. 'Okay, almost scared to ask this one. Question seventy-four. Have you and your fiance had sex in a public place?'

'Does Castle's boat count?'

'Okay that's a yes.' Lanie opened her mouth to continue but Meredeth, whose tongue had been loosened by liquor, added on, 'Too bad I'll never get to cross number one off my top five fantasies with him. That's a very public place.'

'Oh?' The girls leaned in to hear the dirty gossip.

'The interrogation room at the precinct,' Meredeth said in a stage whisper. 'But we did play with his handcuffs one night.'

Beckett leaned over Lanie's shoulder to look at the question sheet. 'Well, there goes question number seventy-eight.'

* * *

Before Meredeth could get too jazzed on booze, they took a break and decided to open the gifts. 'These are somewhere in between bridal shower gifts and your _real_ bachelorette party gifts,' Beckett told her, feeling her own head spin a little from the Sour Grapes martini she'd order during the last half of the Purity Test. 'Not too rauncy, not too prissy. Just right.'

Honey-Milk elbowed the detective in the ribs. 'Okay Goldilocks. This was actually Beckett's idea, to do it this way. There's four of us and we know you're doing a lot of things to tradition-'

'-So we couldn't let you go without something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue,' Lili finished off.

Meredeth felt her eyes sting a little. When she'd asked them to be her bridesmaids, she'd expected small meaningful gifts, not this. Maybe from Lili and Lanie, as they were her future sister-in-law and her maid of honour. 'You guys didn't have to do this.'

'Yes we did. We love you, and Esposito, and you deserve it. Now mine first,' Lanie said with a squeeze of Meredeth's shoulder. 'It's the something new.'

Meredeth dug around in the bag, came up with a set of chin-length sparkly earrings. 'They're gorgeous, Lanie, thank you.'

'I figured hair up or down, those will catch the light nicely.'

'Now me.' Honey-Milk wiggled in her seat as she nudged her bag forward. 'When Lanie told me what she'd bought you, I found this in a shop near my apartment.'

Meredeth laughed, then sighed in the tradition of females as she opened the box to see an antique tri-drop necklace that was an almost perfect match to the earrings. 'Again, I couldn't have picked it better myself.'

'Two down, two to go.' Lili shoved her gift towards Meredeth. 'Just remember it's from me when you open it.'

Meredeth nodded, then snickered appreciatively when she unwrapped the white satin garter threaded through with teal blue ribbon and edge in powder blue lace. 'I'm not putting this on just to have it thrown to all those hungry dogs Javi calls his friends.'

'No, this is the upper one, the one you keep for yourself. I didn't know about that until I got married either.'

'So that's old, new and blue.' Meredeth tucked the garter safely into the bag before turning to Beckett. 'What do I get to borrow from you?'

'Anyone ever tell you once you hit the bottle you sound a little like Doctor Seuss, Mere?' Beckett smiled as she pulled the large bag from the floor. 'Here. Happy wedding.'

Meredeth slid the white box out of the bag, lift the lid and felt her heart give an extra hard beat. 'Oh Kate. This is...this unbelievable.'

With careful hands, she drew out the silk veil, let it tumble like a waterfall. It was soft and dreamy, with appliqued roses forming the halo. 'But where did you get this?'

'It was my mother's.'

The other three women at the table sniffled a little as Beckett continued, 'I figured since Castle's giving you away, he's kind of like the father of the bride, which by extension would make me mother of the bride. Since your mother never got married, I thought you might like to have something from a mother to wear.'

'I can't thank you enough for this.'

Beckett winked. 'Just don't make me give a speech, okay? I'd be a soupy mess.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	23. The Christmas Dinner A

For the first time in she couldn't remember how long, Meredeth was up before her alarm, and with good reason; it was Boxing Day, also known as Christmas the Extended Edition this year. Giving her sleeping fiance a kiss, Meredeth scurried downstairs to make a large pot of tea so she could get to the baking; as the kettle boiled, Meredeth wandered into the living room to stare at the tree and daydream about the past seventy-two hours.

The twenty-third, of course had been spent with Alejandro and Rosalita and Lili and Cam. At just over four months pregnant Lili's belly had ballooned like Jiffy-Pop and Cam was doting on her like she was the first woman to procreate, giving her leg massages and bringing her every snack and drink she requested. Meredeth and Esposito had given her mommy-to-be gifts: maternity pyjamas for summer and winter that she'd requested along with a spa day at One Hot Mama's, the very same spa that Honey-Milk had gone to when her water broke.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day had been nothing but quality time for her and her man. Christmas Eve they'd watched _How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Holiday Inn, _and so they didn't feel too saccharine-y _Die Hard_ while eating Meredeth's chocolate-chip pound cake washed down with hot chocolate laced with peppermint schnapps. They'd gotten silly on sugar and made love on the floor of the living room in front of the roaring fire. The following morning they were ripping open shiny wrapped packages like children in the twinkle of the Christmas lights while they snacked on croissants, coffee and juice; they'd agreed no wedding related items, as they had just registered for their gifts two weeks before. She'd given him the latest copy of _Havana Hellcats_, his favourite video game series along with a tie he'd had his eye on and a bottle of premium Spanish rum. He'd presented her with a refill of her favoured Fragonard's perfume, the leather wallet she'd been desperately trying to find and the platinum edition of _Gaslight_. Meredeth had also added another hand-painted glass ornament - this one green with silver writing - to their started collection of Christmas ornaments, and for dinner they'd eaten _gule arter _and _pasteles_, as they would be having turkey with all the trimmings when the gang was there on the twenty-sixth; cooking two birds in two days was agreed upon as excessive.

Now it was Part Three: Revenge of the Holiday. The entire wedding party would be there, along with Carol Thornton, Robina, Dave, Castle, and of course little Dell, which meant Meredeth had a lot of prep work to be done in the morning while her hubby cleaned the house.

Rolling up her sleeves and putting on her apron, Meredeth was wrist deep in dough when Esposito stumbled into the kitchen, stretching as the dog followed him like a shadow. 'Morning, baby,' he yawned. 'Coffee made?'

'Just tea. Grab a pen and the notepad because here's your list of things to do.'

Esposito only shook his head. 'It's barely seven am. Coffee first.'

Meredeth held her tongue; it would do no good to bug him right now, even when she would be tits-deep in food within the hour and needed the house tidied up before people started arriving at three. Patiently, she worked the dough for her buttermilk bread dumped it into the bread maker while Esposito poured himself a cup and dutifully picked up the paper and pen.

'Okay, I am fueled, go.'

'Vacuuming and dusting on the main floor and upstairs, both bathrooms need the mirrors cleaned, the sink and toilet scrubbed and the shower stalls disinfected. The fire-place needs venting, the wine and bar glasses need to be polished and the silver needs to be shined as well. Oh and Arturo needs to be brushed, he's been shedding like madness the last two weeks. Also, make sure the Wii is in the guest room so Tim and TJ can play it if they don't want to hang around the grown-ups.'

'My Danish Napoleon.' Esposito took it down in his cop shorthand, then went over to wrap his arms around her waist. 'I love you.'

'I love you too.'

'We're going to host an amazing party.'

'Have you got our gift for the Secret Santa wrapped?'

Esposito paused only a second. 'I'll add it to the list.'

* * *

By the time the first guests were arriving, the house was spotless, Arturo was brushed to a high glossy shine and Meredeth was ready for a stiff drink. She'd made it through preparing the meal with only the slightest of incidents - only one batch of sugar cookies lost - and had the bird slow-roasting with the glorious scent of pepper and sage. She'd just put the finishing touches on her make-up when the doorbell rang; naturally it was Honey-Milk, Ryan and Dell arriving early, but they were quickly followed by Dave and Lanie, as well as the Thorntons.

'Hello,' Meredeth greeted Carol, warmly hugging the svelte blonde who was unwinding her long woolen scarf. 'It's so lovely to see you again. Tim, you're in luck, TJ's coming shortly so you won't be stuck with the grown-ups the entire night.'

'Sweet deal.' Tim held out a small parcel. 'This is to say thank you for letting me be in the wedding.'

'Such a young gentleman. Why don't you take it into the kitchen, your Uncle Javi's mixing everyone drinks.' Meredeth had no sooner sent them in search of beverages when the door opened behind her; when she turned her eyebrows nearly lifted to the ceiling when Robina, TJ and Gil entered together.

'Meredeth!' Young TJ was a firecracker, full of energy and chatter as he wrapped his arms around her waist; Meredeth had to pat his shoulder so she could breathe again. 'Guess what, Gil took me and Mom to Rockafeller Center to go ice-skating on Christmas Eve! He's the coolest, he even showed me his badge and his gun.'

Meredeth looked up, saw Gil helping Robina with her coat. 'Did he?'

'Yeah, and he came over for Christmas dinner, too, and he kissed Mom under the mistletoe 'cause that's what you do, even if girls are gross. Can I have something to drink please?'

'Javi's in the kitchen, go see what he can scare up for you.' Meredeth hung back in the foyer, clamping her lips tightly together as dozens of questions threatened to trip off her tongue, but she held on until Gil had followed TJ back to the kitchen for a cold one. 'My, my, Miz Kelley, to think two and a half months ago you two couldn't even be in the same room together without spitting nails, now you're doing family outings?'

'Once you get past his rockheadedness over his precious baseball team he's a really good guy. We've been taking things slow, but TJ just adores him. Gil even got him a copy of _Jurassic Park_ for Christmas and we watched it after dinner.'

Meredeth knew despite Robina's hell-on-heels reputation at her job, TJ was her world, and wanted strong positive male role models for him. 'Looks like you squaring off against Gil wasn't so bad after all.'

'I guess not.' Robina smiled as they went into the kitchen where Gil, TJ and Lanie were having an animated discussion; TJ being seven and bloodthirsty as all little boys tend to be, was fascinated by Lanie's job. He was seated at the counter with some kind of fruit juice slurped through a straw, his big amber eyes transfixed on Lanie.

'So you get to cut open dead bodies and figure out how they died and stuff? Is there lots of blood? Did you find anything cool inside one of them?'

'I had one lady who had eaten four pieces of a Monopoly game board one time, that hasn't happened twice,' Lanie replied, fascinated by the young man.

TJ sipped from his straw, saw Gil give his mother a hug. It still made him feel a little funny in the tummy to see her with someone who wasn't his dad, but since Gil had shown up she smiled a lot more so he'd decided to allow it. 'Are you going to kiss her?'

'I was thinking about it,' Gil laughed at the boy's candor. 'Why?'

'It's gross. My friend Sam told me that kissing leads to babies and that it somehow makes eggs inside the lady.'

'Theodore James Kelley,' Robina admonished him, 'that's enough out of you, young man. Why don't you go find Tim, and bond over how gross girls are?'

Gil let go of Robina, helped TJ off his chair and dutifully set his glass aside for later, making Meredeth shake her head. Maybe Esposito's theory on Gil having an 'instant family' with them was on the nose, as Gil was stepping into a paternal role so naturally he probably didn't even see he was doing it, nor how much it meant to Robina that he'd taken a genuine interest. She stepped into the dining room where Esposito was getting his martini shaker from the china cabinet.

'I'm warning you now, TJ's got trots of the mouth today so be prepared for inappropriate questions if he corners you.'

'Define inappropriate.'

'Like if we're having babies and things like that.'

Esposito stood up, gave her a look. 'He's seven, isn't he a little young to know about that kind of thing?'

'His mother kinda had to have the talk with him earlier than anticipated when his father left and he was hearing rumours at school about what Anthony had done.'

'Ah.' Esposito gave her a kiss on the forehead. 'Duly noted.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	24. The Christmas Dinner B

By five-thirty, everyone had arrived and for a moment, Meredeth felt like she was in a surreal piece of living art. It was hard to believe that a year ago, she'd barely filled up the townhouse with her own furniture, now it was filled with people too - Tim and TJ running up and down the stairs like kids should, the women crowded around Honey-Milk and Dell and Lili with her growing belly, the men and even Robina stepping out to the front stoop for cigars. The blend of people was fascinating too - sweet-tart Lanie with the reserved, almost shy Dave, the snap crackle and pop of Gil and Robina's exchanges, Lili and Cam teasingly finishing each other's sentences - a little microcosm of New York City itself.

And at the center of these colours and scents was Esposito, her love. For a moment she just watched him over the rim of her glass as he chatted with Ryan and Ike. There was some kind of animated discussion going on, though what it was she couldn't tell, only that it involved a lot of laughing, particularly when Castle joined in. She loved watching him laugh; his work, whether he admitted it or not, took a toll on him and seeing him able to just kick back and relax was wonderful.

Finally, dinner was ready to be served, and Meredeth had never been so nervous in her life before serving food. Not only were there two kids' appetites to contend with, but special dietary concerns since both Ryan and Robina were vegetarians, and other health worries like Lanie's shellfish allergy; on top of which she was serving nearly twenty people and had no idea if there would be enough for everyone. They crowded around the formal dining room table which had become the buffet table, as Castle called all of them to attention.

'I'd like to say a few words,' he said, tapping his fork against his glass. 'I'd like to thank Meredeth and Esposito for opening their home to us for the holidays. I've thrown a lot of parties and I know with the wedding plans on the go as well this wouldn't have been easy for you to work on at the same time, so thank you very very much. And now, I'd liked to lead us all in a little blessing, so everyone hold hands.'

The group of them looked around but did so, forming a misshapen human chain as Castle spoken. 'Thank you Lord for blessing us so fortunately to spend the holidays with people we love, in this beautiful house. Please make sure my Alexis' flight landed safely in Los Angeles. Bless all the new lives and loves in this room, from unborns and newborns to unexpected turns and new steps to take. And Lord please don't let Esposito beat my ass for this one.'

Before Meredeth could move, Castle had gripped her head in his hands and planted a smacking kiss on her mouth. 'Thank you for blessing us with Meredeth and this beautiful meal we're about to pig out on. Amen.'

'Amen,' Meredeth squeaked out before giving Castle a lunch punch in the stomach as everyone laughed and grabbed plates. She swiped the back of her hand over her mouth, snickered as Esposito came up to her trying very hard not to laugh. 'You knew he was going to do that, didn't you?'

'Yeah, I kinda did.' Esposito had been trading stories with Ryan and Ike about their ladies getting their homes ready for the holidays, when Castle wandered over and suggested his little pre-dinner speech. He leaned over the table, picked up the knife and roasting fork. 'Do I get to carve?'

'Of course you do Javi-Grinch.'

* * *

'Did you try the stuffing?'

'The veggie-one sure, the other one was in a baking carcass, Gil.'

'These sweet potatoes are insane.'

'Esposito is one lucky bastard, marrying a girl who cooks like this.'

Meredeth blushed a little into her whipped potatoes and buttermilk bread at the compliments the people she sat with. 'I'm glad you like it, but why is everyone so hung up on the 'he's marrying a good cook' thing?'

'Aside from the fact it means we know he won't starve to death?' Lanie quipped. 'Or live off take-out his entire life?'

'I think it's your way of showing you're supportive of his job.' From his spot on the floor, Dave pointed his drumstick at Meredeth. 'Think about it. Cops, firefighters, paramedics, we see people on some of the worst days of their lives, and it takes a toll on you. Knowing you've got your lover in your corner who makes sure you're taken care of so you can do your job, and do it well, that really means something.'

Gil shoveled in steamed carrots and gravy-smothered turkey. 'It's true. It sounds so chauvinistic, Mere, but there are days when you get finished wading through the blood and shit and God knows what else, the idea that you can go home and someone's there to give you a kiss and a hot bowl of something is the only thing to keep you sane.'

Meredeth thought of the night in April Esposito had come home and she'd been making him soup on a rainy night, and he'd just held her in his arms while she'd made their dinner. 'What if she or he isn't a good cook and can only do sandwiches?'

'It's the principle of it. Doing something like that, for us men who aren't so good with the words-'

'Ahem,' Castle interrupted loudly.

'-With certain exceptions of course, that's the way we know you care about us. Makes us feel, I don't know, less cheesy.'

'Kinda goes along with my pancakes theory, doesn't it?' Esposito asked, having joined in the conversation. He set his plate down, kissed the top of Meredeth's head. 'And I don't care what you say, you're not tidying up.'

'But-'

'If we put something away in the wrong spot in the kitchen, it won't mean it's the apocalypse, babe. You've got some of New York's finest here, we all have done our share of KP duty, right Gil?'

'You know it.'

'Well in that case,' Meredeth passed him her empty plate. 'Why don't you get started? That way we can get to Secret Santa sooner.'

* * *

When they'd finished filling their faces, after the food was wrapped and the kitchen spotless, they crowded into the living room for the Secret Santa game. It was a game Esposito and Lili had played with their cousins growing up, since there was so many of them. The presents, each discreetly numbered were piled onto the coffee table, while Esposito held a bowl of folded papers.

'How is this going to work exactly?' Robina asked, her hands resting on Gil's shoulders.

'Each person takes a number and they get a gift. If you get an even number, you have the option of trading it with anyone. If you get an odd number, you're stuck with whatever you get or whatever an even number trades you for. Then at the end there's a mad-money scramble, you have ten seconds to make a trade. After all that's said and done, you get to open the gifts.'

'What if I pick something up and it's like, lacy underwear or something?' Ryan asked.

'Then you better pray they're your size,' Ike said back, making everyone laugh.

The game started up and everyone chose their presents; for a few minutes out of their lives, the group of them were kids, teasing and cajoling for trades - the lacy underwear comment had clearly rattled Ryan and as trying desperately to trade off his parcel for that didn't look like it might be women's lingerie - and making bargains about tag-teaming for the mad-money scramble.

When the time came to open the packages up, there was even more noise, loud laughs and snorts, oohs and ahs as they discovered their treasures. Lili had really lucked out and gotten a gift certificate to the a day of beauty to have her hair done along with a pedicure full foot and leg massage, as had Carol, who'd gotten the tickets to see _Come Sail Away_, Meredeth's ex Scott's play. They'd been given to her for a Sunday mantinee but since she and Esposito wouldn't be able to use them - she'd be presenting at the Golden Globes that night - they were a perfect donation for the game. Esposito ripped open the Christmas-cracker shaped present to find half a dozen Romeo Y Julieta number three cigars from Castle's private stash; he knew exactly what he'd save them for. He smiled as he saw his fiancee open a gift card for Aqua-Marina, she could use it to buy herself a new bikini for their honeymoon. And much to his relief, Ryan wasn't the one who ended up with the sexy lady-drawers. That honour went to Gil, who turned red as the satin g-string and bra he saw in the box.

'Those going to fit you?' he asked his friend, who only stammered.

'No but they'll look super on me,' Robina fired back with a sassy grin.

As the others in the room wolf-whistled, Esposito leaned over and whispered at Meredeth, 'You made sure he got that one, didn't you?'

'Is it that obvious?'

'No, I just know you really well.' He kissed her neck. He knew from listening to Meredeth and talking to Gil himself they had yet to have sex, and knew Meredeth would do her damnedest to inspire them.

Because she knew him just as well, Meredeth poked him in the ribs and whispered back. 'I got one for you too.'

He grinned. 'Really?'

'Santa knows you've been good this year, so tonight, we get to be very bad.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	25. The Vows

_Hello everyone! Hope you loved that season 3 premiere as much as me! It was a great way to welcome everyone back! This chapter does a significant time leap forward - 1 month - because I want to make sure the pace doesn't flag since it is going to be a very ass-end heavy fic. After all, the final chapters are going to be the wedding day and everything that entails. Pass the word, share the love!_

* * *

'Did Mere leave us any snacks?'

'Oh, she always keeps ice cream in the freezer.'

'Anything non-dairy? Milk is making me nauseous these days.'

'She made caramel popcorn before she left on Friday.' Esposito gave the duo in his living room the fish-eye before he opened the cupboard to find the tasty treats; some how he'd ended up with Castle and his sister at the townhouse on the Sunday night of the Golden Globes. He was ready to kick them both out, as he'd hoped to use the night off from work and from people to get down to a task very important to him - composing his vows. He knew it was seven months until the wedding and yet he felt like he'd proposed to Meredeth, blinked twice and they were hosting Christmas dinner for their friends. He knew he'd need a head start to make them sound just right.

Then he'd gotten the ranting phone call from Lili on his way home from the precinct gym about not wanting any of his friends' support for his fiancee while she made her first televised awards show appearance. Esposito had nearly pointed out that she would be on screen for all of two minutes and probably wouldn't be featured on the red carpet, as she was simply a presenter with no nomination. But Lili was clearly in the middle of a hormonal hissy-fit and having seen what the girl could do when enraged - the nasty showdown with Valencia in Stuyvesant Memorial immediately springing to mind - he told her it was fine, she could come over and watch with him. Since he knew he was going to need a buffer, he called in a marker from Castle, who'd shown up within fifteen minutes of hanging up the phone

Now they were in his living room, Lili drinking fruit juice with club soda and Castle a double bourbon, studying the screen with measured patience while Esposito had popped in the earbuds of his iPod; he'd downloaded some of Meredeth's favourite poetry to see if it inspired anything. He was closing his eyes and concentrating on the words when he felt something hit him in the back of the head. Looking at the counter, he saw it was a popcorn seed, whipped at him by his sister.

'Okay,' he said, yanking out his earbuds, 'are you fourteen or thirty-four, Lucita? I've got a lot to do which doesn't include getting assaulted with snack food.'

'Your precious treasure is on screen, not that you seem to care.'

Esposito wanted to snarl but he couldn't, not when he saw Meredeth in a beautiful violet ballgown, diamonds sparkling at her ears and wrist as she was interviewed by someone from _E! News._

_You look fabulous tonight who are you wearing?_

_This dress was done by Margha Van Valken, a custom tailor in New York, the shoes are of course Jimmy Choos and a very lovely local shop donated this ice, with the exception of this one. This is from my Javi._

_It's just gorgeous. So many of your Twitter followers are so excited to see you tonight, are there any people you're hoping with win?_

_I'm hoping that Space Cowboy and The Big Bang Theory clean up. Neither series has won here before so that would be really nice.  
_

_Thanks for stopping by._

'She looks good,' Castle commented, munching on a carrot before passing the fresh vegetables to Lili. 'Hopefully the critics will be kind, well, as kind as they can be when they shred someone they think doesn't belong at an awards ceremony.'

This time, Esposito didn't fight the eye-roll. 'Enjoy the show, I've got wedding stuff to work on.'

With that, he turned his iPod back on and wandered into the kitchen. He'd snagged himself a beer and was listening to something by Ezra Pound when he glanced up and saw Castle wander into the kitchen. He paused the recording, tossed the personal music player on the counter. 'Now what?'

'Are you getting cold feet?'

The question hit Esposito like a bare-knuckle punch. 'What?'

'It's perfectly natural to get freaked, man,' Castle reassured him as his friend handed snagged a beer from the fridge while he worked his way through his bourbon. 'I had more than a few panic attacks before I married the Evil Merideth.'

'I'm not bailing and it's insulting you'd think that.'

'Then talk to me.'

Esposito dragged a hand over his face, then two. 'Meredeth and I are doing our own vows, and-'

'Since you had the night free, you were going to work on them. But that was before the frightening pregnant version of Lili showed up in your living room and now you want us both gone so you can work in peace and watch Meredeth present her award on your own time.'

'That's about it.'

Castle swirled the ice in his glass, drank. 'Javier, I'm sure whatever you come up with will work just fine.'

'I don't want 'just fine'. 'Just fine' is when you go out for a steak and you asked for medium but you get medium rare instead. This is my _wedding_ _vow_ to _Meredeth_. I have to say the exact right words because right after proposing to her, it's the most important speech I'll give in my life.'

'Aside from the 'where do babies come from' chat.' Castle shuddered as he remembered that exact conversation with his own child. 'That one you're never prepared for, no matter what you do.'

'I'm serious, man! Meredeth's a professional writer, she can whip this stuff up on a moment's notice.'

'You think because she's skilled with words it'll be easier for her to tell you how much she loves you?'

Esposito ran his hand over his head, drank. 'I didn't say that, I said it's easier for her to come up with words. I have no words at all.' He was frustrated with himself; he knew he was such a cliche, a man who couldn't express himself in words what the love of his life meant to him. 'I don't know where to start.'

Castle didn't reply at first; he'd gone the traditional route with his first marriage and played the 'repeat after me' game with the minister and his second Vegas one, he'd been surprised he'd been allowed to get married at all with that amount of alcohol in his system. He finished off his drink and rattled the ice cubes around in the glass.

'Okay let's try it from a different perspective. Have you chosen your ceremonial music yet?'

'In a manner of speaking. Being married at Bethesda Terrace, we can't have any music from musicians or a stereo or anything like that so Carol Thornton's going to sing Seasons of Love instead of doing a third reading at the ceremony. And we've chosen our song.'

'Oh?'

'Yeah, and laugh all you want, but we went through nearly two hundred cheesy love songs before we picked it out.' Esposito went to the fridge to get a beer for Castle. 'We're going with _For You I Will_.'

'I like that one.'

'Yeah? You're not busting my balls?'

'No, I think it suits you two. It's like a promise, that you mean so much to the other there isn't anything you wouldn't do for them. And I've seen that with you guys, especially back in April when you got shot. Somehow, and I don't know how, that girl didn't cry until she knew you were okay.'

Love glowed brightly in Esposito's heart. 'Seriously?'

'Yeah. Only after you were out of the woods and safely in your room did she come undone, and then spent every waking minute at your side until we had to all but tear her away.'

'I told Ryan to make sure she didn't get sick. I knew I was going to need her when I was home.'

'You do the same for her, like when she was sick on her birthday and we'd just finished surveillance, you came home and made her soup. Or that time we had a barbecue here, Dave put liquid soap in the dish-washer, she was losing her mind on him so to break up the argument you told her how sexy she is when she's pissed off so she'd calm down.'

'She still doesn't let Dave anywhere near dirty dishes after that one.'

'After you're married, will you keep doing those things for her?'

'Of course,' Esposito replied without hesitation.

'Then that's what you say to her.'

'Hey, are you two Y-chromosomes done with the grunting and scratching? Your pal from _Doctor Horrible_ is presenting an award!' Lili bellowed from the living room. 'And can you bring me a fresh glass of ice? All my cubes have melted.'

'I'll go. I've dealt with a pregnant woman's demands before and you've got some writing to do.' Castle hopped off his chair, taking the Lili-monster her requested ice and leaving Esposito in peace.

He picked his iPod back up, scrolled through his playlists until he came across the one he'd created for potential wedding songs and found the song he and Meredeth had decided upon. As the singer's smooth voice floated into his ears and Castle's little kick in the creativity ass, he opened to the fresh page of his draft book - a little gift 'from one writer to another' as Meredeth called it - and began to compose his vows.

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	26. The Plot Twist A

'Hey babe, I know I'm late, it's been a busy morning.'

Esposito greeted Meredeth with a warm kiss in the take-out line at Monsoon's, Meredeth's favourite Thai place, and the only non-fried food lunch spot within walking distance from the station. He liked a burger and fries as much as the next guy but Meredeth's natural cooking with fresh ingredients had begun to spoil him a little and a whole new world of flavour had been opened up when she took him to the busy little to-go spot.

'I know, I can't stay long either, I'm meeting Robina to go over some press details coming up for the miniseries. Can I get the pad gra prow with chicken and rice noodles? she said to the counter attendant.

'I'll get the coconut shrimp stew and the veggie soba,' he added. 'Thank God you told me about this place, I don't think I could stand listening to Ryan bitch about the lack of vegetarian eateries near the precinct.'

'Wow, he's really sticking with this whole vegetarian thing, isn't he?'

'Yeah and it's freaking me out a little. I once saw him turn a pork chop into finger food.'

Meredeth wrinkled her nose in disgusted fascination. 'Seriously?'

'We were at a party, a barbecue just after he'd met Jenny, and the line up at the buffet tables was too long for him, so he started chowing down eating his meat like it was a slice of pizza.'

'Hard to think that's the same guy who moos every time you eat a burger in front of him.'

'I personally am waiting for the day when he flips out, and purchases a cow on eBay and eats it all. And speaking of.' Esposito whipped out his ringing phone, flipped it open. 'Esposito. No, I'm just at Monsoon's with Meredeth. Yes I got your veggie soba crap. Okay. Okay I'll meet you in the garage.'

'A body?'

'Suspicious death. They fall to Homicide by default so we can rule out foul play.' Esposito collected his containers, tossed a twenty on the counter. 'Love you, I'll see you at seven-thirty for dinner.'

'The Meerkat, West Thirty-Fourth and Seventh. Love you too.'

* * *

Hey I got a question.'

Ryan licked his fork, unbuckled his seat-belt as Esposito stopped the car outside the building where their scene was. They badge the officer securing the scene, started up the stairs to the apartment. 'Not to step on toes, but who's going to walk Meredeth down the aisle, considering her mother's gone and she was a single parent?' Ryan asked as they walked up the stairs to the apartment.

'Castle.'

'No way! How come you didn't mention it before?'

'I've had a lot on my mind, getting everything ready, bro.' Esposito opened the door to the appropriate floor, let Ryan walk through first. 'He asked her after the Hallowe'en party, sees himself as kind of a match-maker. You know, if he hadn't picked such a ding=bat for a date, I wouldn't have left the restaurant and met her at Cecil's.'

'That makes sense, and I suppose it'd give Castle a taste for it if Lex ever got married.' Ryan tucked his best-man away, became the sturdy cop as they met Beckett outside apartment three-fourteen. 'What do we have?'

'Ted Addison, fifty-eight, divorced, suspicious circs. He's a retired pilot from United Airlines, according to that pension envelope on his dresser.' Beckett gestured vaguely. 'Son, Joel Kennedy, came over to meet his father for lunch, found him in his bed unresponsive. Lanie's in there right now; I'll deal with her. Ryan, can you talk to the neighbours, see if they heard or saw anything, Esposito take the son.'

'Sure.'

The dynamic duo split up, with Esposito going into the kitchen where a husky, sandy-haired man of about twenty-six sat across from a uniform, with a glass of water at his elbow and the signs of shock on his splotchy face.

'Thanks Delco, I got it from here,' he told the uniform, pulled out his note-pad to take information. 'Mister Kennedy? I'm Detective Esposito. I'm very sorry for your loss.'

'I don't understand, I talked to him last night, he sounded fine. He'd been having a good day.'

'Good day?' Esposito repeated.

'Dad has stage four liver cancer, and he's diabetic, so he was on a shitload of medication and it messed with him sometimes, made him depressed. But the doctor had adjusted his dose, and he's been having a good two weeks. We made plans to have brunch this morning over at Moondance by NYU, and when he didn't answer the door, I used my key. I didn't see coffee or anything made so I figured he slept through his alarm. I got to the door and...oh God.' Bitter tears poured from Joel's laser-blue eyes; he pressed the heels of his hands together. 'Why didn't I see this coming?'

'Your father had talked about killing himself?'

'Not exactly. He'd talked about an old girlfriend of his he'd lost in the Gulf War in ninety-one and how he was missing her a lot, and just wanted to see her again. I didn't think he meant like this.'

'Did he have any enemies or people who wished him harm?'

'No. The only thing he had of any real dollar value were his comic books and graphic novels. He was a real geek for them. But any of them worth more than a hundred dollars was locked in his safety deposit box. He paid his bills on time and his medication ate up most of his pension.'

'What about ex-girlfriends, spurned lovers?'

Joel shook his head. 'The last time he dated was about three years before he got sick and they're like best pals. You couldn't stay mad at him. Not even my mother. They split up before he went to Kuwait in eighty-nine, but it wasn't nasty, you know? She even went with him to the funeral for that old flame and saw his other kid there.'

Esposito nodded patiently. Normally the loquacious kind babbled on about mistakes and the near-sainthood or vileness of their deceased family member. This guy was more like a Biography-channel special. But there was something about the story that was making his brain click. 'His other kid?'

'Yeah. He'd been a pilot in the Air Force and he'd hit it off with this nurse when they were stationed together in Guam, about eight years before I was born. They had a relationship and after she went back to the States, she found out she was pregnant. She sent him a letter, telling him she would have the kid and raise it on her own, she wasn't looking for money or a quick marriage, she just wanted him to know. I always asked him about it, and he only said Daks did what she thought was right.'

Esposito's pen stopped on the paper as his heart sank. 'Daks?'

'Yeah, he said everyone called her Daks.' With a newfound reserve of energy, Joel stood up, went into the apartment's small living room with Esposito following him. 'After she died, he put all his photos of her in his safety deposit box, except one.' Joel went over to the sideboard that was crammed with photos of himself as a young boy, then a teen, selected one to show to Esposito; as he took the framed snapshot, Esposito felt his head swim.

It was the exact same photograph Meredeth had on the mantle in a place of honour; it formed a trio along with a portrait of her mother in her dress blues and the last photograph they'd taken together on Meredeth's eleventh birthday.

'That's Daks,' Joel said, pointing to Meredeth's mother. 'Dad always said even though they weren't together that long, she was his match. When he got the news about his illness...he almost seemed happy because he said it'd mean he'd see her sooner than he'd imagined.'

'Right.' Esposito held the frame in his latex-gloved hands that weren't quite steady.

'Is it okay for me to leave for a moment?' Joel jerked his thumb in the general direction of the apartment door. 'I really need to take a leak and I know you guys have to do forensic stuff here.'

'Yeah, go find my partner Ryan, he's talking to one of your dad's neighbours. Tell him I cleared you to go.'

Once the man had gone, Esposito went into the bedroom, discreetly averting his eyes from Lanie and her duties, focused on his boss. 'Detective Beckett, I need to speak with you.'

'Esposito, I'm in the middle of-'

'It's important,' he said through his teeth, knowing he'd breakdown and call his fiancee if he unclenched his jaw.

Beckett caught the look on his face, stepped out of the room to dress down her interrupting detective. 'What is so important that you'd pull me away from Lanie's prelim report?'

'The son, he told me that his father had an affair about thirty years ago or so, with this nurse he met in the Air Force when they were stationed in Guam, and he got her pregnant. That her right there' he explained pointing to the image of Freja Dakkars Coleman. 'He went to her funeral in ninety-one, when her daughter was eleven.'

'And the purpose of story-time today is what, Detective?'

'Kate, that woman is Meredeth's mother.'

Beckett pressed her fingertips to her mouth as she made the connection. 'Which means...oh, shit.'

Both of them glanced towards the doorway of the room that held the dead body of Meredeth's father.

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	27. The Plot Twist B

Beckett and Esposito stood by the bedroom doorway, reeling from the revelation that Lanie's medical team was about to transport the body of Meredeth's biological father.

'How do we handle this?' he asked quietly.

'We do our jobs, Detective, and we treat Meredeth as we would any other family member of a victim. Special treatment...it only makes you feel worse,' Beckett replied in the voice of experience.

They stepped aside to let the coroner's assistants take the body out of the room, Lanie hanging back to study the cops' faces. 'I know that look. He's one of ours, isn't he?'

'Lanie, we have reason to believe that this man you just finished examining is Meredeth Coleman's biological father.'

'Damn.' Lanie shook her head, dropped her gaze. 'Is there any way to know for sure? Without getting Meredeth alerted?'

'Her DNA's in the system,' Esposito said blankly, making both women look at him in surprise.

'She has a record?'

'Child Protection Services. Her aunt and uncle lived in Van Dooeren county, and they were one of the first CPS offices in the country to include DNA profiles with their reports. After her cousin pulled that shit and she went into the hospital, the doctors took a full marker-kit. Hair, blood, fingerprints.' He remembered the night when he'd told him all about it from one of her sessions with Warner, how she'd gotten that glassy thousand yard stare. He wondered what would happen when they dropped this bombshell on her. 'Law says her information would stay in the system for twenty-five years after it was filed, so she'll be in the system.'

'I'll get one of my blood analysts to do a blind comparison.' Lanie gave Esposito a sympathetic look. 'She's a strong woman, Javier. She'll pull through.'

She took her kit and left, passing Ryan on the way. 'Hey, I'd say who died, but that would be rather inappropriate wouldn't it?'

'Very, Detective Ryan.' Beckett jammed her hands in her pockets. 'The gentleman who was just escorted out by Lanie is Meredeth's bio-father.'

Ryan's eyes bugged out. 'Oh damn, bro.' All sympathy now, Ryan put his hand on his partner's shoulder. 'Are you okay?'

'No. No, I'm not. I have to call my fiancee, the woman I'm spending the rest of my life with, and tell her pops is dead and he was in New York City all this time but never once tried to get in touch with her.'

Esposito turned on his heel out of the room, laced his fingers behind his head and leaned forward like he was doing a sit up. 'Fuck it. She'd had enough heartache in her life, and she's been so happy planning this wedding. This is going to screw with her so badly,' he said to the empty living room.

'We're not calling her just yet.' Because it was Lanie's going to put a rush on the bloodwork so we can have it in a few hours and once we get a confirmed answer either way, that's when you call her.'

'Okay.' Esposito breathed as deeply as he could. 'Okay.'

'Do I need to reassign you on this, Detective?'

'Yes,' he said without hesitation. 'I can't be a cop first, not on this one.'

'Very well. Ryan, escort Detective Esposito to his vehicle and collect his notes. Neither one of you is permitted to call Meredeth until we received confirmed biological identification from Doctor Parrish. Esposito, you need to go back to the precinct and find other work to occupy your time until Ryan and I return with more information.'

'Ah, he's kinda my ride,' Ryan started, then shut up when he felt Beckett's stare drill holes through his warm overcoat. 'But I can always take the subway.'

* * *

Esposito took the long way back to the precinct. Castle was there, up in Vice talking with Gil for some background on breaking pornography rings and he knew if he saw the friendly writer, whom Meredeth looked up to in an almost parental way even though he was only three years older than Esposito himself, his discipline would crumble to powder. He'd want nothing more than to go home to Meredeth and hold on to her as if it would help her world hold together.

He'd no sooner sat down at his desk with a fresh cappuccino from the break room when the man himself wandered up and plopped into Ryan's empty chair, Gil hot on his heels.

'Dude, you gotta tell him this one,' Castle said with a smug grin. 'Lover-boy will definitely appreciate it like no one else.'

'So check it, I'm at Robina's, first time I stayed the night with TJ home, right? We're in the shower together, and it's looking there might be a little sugar in the bubbles, when the door bursts open and...' Gil trailed off as he saw the hardened look on Esposito's face. 'You alright bro?'

Esposito could only shake his head as he dug out notes he had to go over for a court appearance at the end of the week. 'Leave it be right now,' he said in a quiet voice.

Castle studied the cop; he'd spent enough time with him in the past few years to understand that when Esposito went quiet like this, it wasn't anger but grief that had him in a choke hold. 'What happened?' he asked in the same low voice.

Before Esposito could brush it off, the desk line rang. Relief and anxiety twined together like eels in his gut as he lifted the receiver. 'Esposito.'

'It's Lanie. My tech just got back to me. It's a match.'

'You're sure?'

'Yeah, just called Beckett and told her and Ryan.'

'Thanks.'

Esposito hung up, wincing in pain. He had to call her. There was no point in putting it off any longer. For the first time in their entire relationship, Esposito flipped his cell open and pressed the number-one speed dial on his phone with utter dread. He nearly broke when he heard her voice.

'Hi baby, I was just thinking about you. I need you to ask Castle for the florist's number where he went for Honey-Milk and Ryan's flowers.'

'Meredeth.'

All it took was him saying her name and her demeanour changed in a heartbeat. 'What is it? Did something happen to Ryan?'

'No, he's fine. I need you to come down to the precinct as soon as you can.'

'Okay. I'll see you in a few.'

Esposito clicked off the line. When he looked up at Gil and Castle, their faces were studies of concerned wariness. 'I'm going to need some privacy for this one guys,' he told them. 'I can't tell you what's going on until she gets here.'

'Okay. Gil, why don't we grab an espresso, talk in the breakroom?' Knowing he wouldn't get information out of Esposito, Castle and the Vice cop trotted off to leave him be.

A short while later, Beckett and Ryan arrived on the homicide floor. 'Did you call her?' Beckett asked without preamble.

'She should be here shortly.'

'Good. Lanie's on her way up to, and...' Beckett trailed off when she saw Joel Kennedy walk in beside Lanie, looking as miserable as Esposito felt. 'I'll ask them to stay in a conference room until Meredeth gets here.'

Esposito nodded, then turned around when he heard the _ding _of the elevator bell. He saw Meredeth stride out purposefully, searching for him. When she reached him, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight squeeze. 'Javi, what's going on? Why am I here?'

'Meredeth.' Beckett walked up behind her, laid a hand on her shoulder. 'Why don't we take a conference room?'

They filed in, Esposito sitting beside Meredeth and putting his hand on the back of her chair, letting Beckett take the lead as he held his fiance's hand tightly.

'Meredeth, does the name Ted Addison mean anything to you?'

'Ted Addison, yeah, he was a friend of my mother's, she met him at the base in Guam. Called him Teddy Fly-Boy. I never met him, though. He lived in upstate New York, near the base, because he was full-time army, and Mom had a civilian job here.'

'What did she say about him?'

'Not much, just mentioned him as being an old boyfriend, and they fell out of touch after she went back stateside. Why?' Before Beckett could say anything, Meredeth connected the dots. 'Oh, no. He was killed? Someone killed him?'

'He had stage four liver cancer and according to Laine's findings, he took his own life by overdosing on his prescription medication.'

'Mere,' Esposito told her in a low, rusty voice, thankful Beckett was allowing him to do the worst part. 'I interviewed his son, who talked about his father missing an old girlfriend he'd met when he was in the air force, that he'd had a child with.'

He picked up the framed photograph in the evidence bag from the table, passed it to her. 'The son, his name is Joel, and said that his father took this photograph of that girlfriend, Daks, and her flight crew.'

Meredeth turned the frame over and felt like she'd been punched in the gut as she stared at an identical copy of the photograph she had in her house. Her breakfast lurched upwards inside, her head lightened as bright dots appeared in front of her eyes. 'Oh my god. Oh my god.' She put the photograph down, shoved her head her between her knees. 'He was my father?'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	28. The Plot Twist C

Meredeth looked from the devastation on Esposito's face to the brunette cop she considered a good friend. 'Is he?'

'Lanie ran a DNA profile, his sample against the one on record in your CPS file and it's a match.' Esposito squeezed her hand tightly. 'Even if we didn't have that, Mere, his son talked about details I've only ever heard from you. And there's something else. His son let us open one of his three safety desposit boxes that he kept, and we found this inside.'

Esposito passed her a letter with an opened envelope in the department standard protective plastic. 'This is from your mother to him, dated May seventeenth, nineteen seventy nine.'

Meredeth took it from him, began to read it. 'Dear Ted, I know it's been a few months since we've spoken but I feel you should know, I've had some exciting news. I'm going to be a mother at the beginning of November. I wanted to let you know because I thought you should know I've decided to keep the baby and raise it on my own. I'm not asking you for money or anything like that, not even emotional support, since you'll be on the other side of the world until next February. I just wanted to let you know I am thrilled I got the best part of you that night we spent together on Valentine's Day. Take care and good luck, come home safely, your ever-loving Daks.'

No one in the room said anything as Meredeth set the letter down. 'She must have been so scared. And I can't even imagine what he'd think when he read that.'

'Meredeth, we've told Joel about the situation and he'd like to meet you, to answer any questions you might have.'

'Like what?' Angry now that the first wave of shock had passed, Meredeth shoved her chair back to stalk around the room. 'Why he didn't fight for my mother? Why didn't he try to get in touch with me or Momo when he got back? I've been alive for thirty-two years and he didn't so much as pick up a phone.' Her voice was cracking, and Esposito was on his feet, holding her in his arms in an instant as she fought not to weep. 'Was I not important? Was my mother not worth it?

'It's okay, Meredeth,' he murmured, rubbing his hand over her back in what he hoped were soothing strokes. 'If you want, I can tell Joel you're not up for it. I'll take you home.' Esposito glanced over at Beckett, who nodded subtly but Meredeth's voice was steely and knocked both veteran cops to their proverbial heels with her question.

'Is Castle around?'

'Yeah, I'll have Gil send him down.'

'Thank you.'

As Meredeth made no move to leave the conference room, Beckett stood up, gave them some privacy, or as much privacy as could be found in a cop shop. When the door closed behind his boss, Esposito turned to Meredeth. 'I am so sorry, I...I don't know what to say.'

'Just...sit here with me, and let me talk to Castle for a moment.'

'Okay.' Esposito twined his fingers with hers, gave her hand a little kiss; she almost broke his heart clean in two when she gave him a soft smile. Lanie, it seemed, knew her friend well, for Meredeth had yet to spill a single tear.

There was a soft knock on the door and Castle entered quietly. 'Hey. Beckett just told me. Are you okay?'

'Ted, his son Joel is here and wants to meet me. Would you do it, if you were in my place?'

In an instant Esposito understood why Meredeth had asked for the writer, as Castle responded, 'Yes, I would.'

'But wouldn't you be angry? Would you want to know why he did what he did?'

'Consider the fact it's just as much a mind-fuck for Joel too, growing up an only child and not knowing who all of his family is.\ Castle crossed to them, earnestly speaking. 'Meredeth, this is a gift, one I've yet to receive. You can learn a lot about yourself by learning about him, not just for you but for your family's sake. You can get a chance to know about things that would be passed down to your children. If I were in your shoes, I'd grab as much as I can with two full hands.'

Meredeth nodded, taking in his advice, then turned to Esposito. 'I want you with me.'

'Of course, my love.'

Holding her hand tightly Esposito left the conference room, not give two wet slaps who saw him. They found Beckett, who led the couple over to a different room. For a moment, Meredeth watched through the glass of the door and said with a gram of brightness, 'Hey, I know him.'

'You do?'

'Yeah. He was one of the guys who won one of the VIP sessions when I did that signing at Heart's last year. He's, ah, a film student at NYU. He told me he was getting an autograph for his father, that he was a huge fan of mine.'

'I guess now you know why.'

'Yeah,' she repeated wistfully, then, with a courage Esposito knew some cops could only dream of, opened the door and walked in to see Joel sitting with Lanie. A pot of coffee and a plate of questionable-looking pastries, along with a large binder sporting a collage of Lady-Hawk photos on the cover, sat in the middle of the table. 'Hi,' she said, holding out a hand as he rose, the same shaky look on his face. 'I'm Meredeth. I'm very sorry to hear about your father, Joel.'

'Thanks.' Joel glanced over at Esposito, back to Meredeth. 'This your guy?'

'Yes. We're getting married in August.'

'He's a good one. Please, sit down.' Joel let out an uneven breath as he launched into the speech he prepared. 'Meredeth, I want you to know that if I'd had my way, my father would have told you about himself a long time ago. It wasn't fair to any of us - him, me or you - that you were kept in the dark for so long. I tried to convince him to find you after he got sick, but he was so god-damned stubborn, he refused to listen.'

'How long did you know about me?'

'I found out after I moved here when I was eighteen. I didn't know it was _you_ though.'

Meredeth sat down in the chair Lanie had left empty. 'Tell me about him.'

'He was a comic book nerd. Said his army buddies used to call him Nightcrawler, because he was a wicked fast runner and spoke German better than the Pennsylvania Dutch guys on base. He tried to teach your mother, but she could only remember one word.'

'_Ausgeseigneht_.' Meredeth smiled as she remembered her mother using that one whenever she was over the moon excited about something. 'What else?'

'He was really into photography too, loved taking pictures of things, making up stories about them, and if he didn't know the history of something, he made it up just for the hell of it. I was thirteen before I knew that Mustang cars weren't named Mustangs because that's the horses they used to measure engine power.' Joel tugged the binder over, opened it to the first page. 'This was his baby, so to say. He loved your stories, he has first editions of all your works in his other safety deposit box, but this...this was his baby, so to say.'

Meredeth leaned forward, and to her surprise, let out a laugh. It was a scrapbook, of every magazine article she'd ever been featured in, interviews she'd given, photos from press tours and appearances. She flipped through the pages, saw he'd even begun to paste in her Twitter feeds, and added photos from Y-Frog she'd posted of her and Esposito. 'This is...unbelievable.'

She looked closer and saw one in particular high-lighted in yellow. 'thanks *usafflyguy for the link on drug triangles it was a big help MC.'

'He got me to explain Twitter to him, and when he found out he could communicate to his favourite authors like this, he was so happy. He was so proud of you, Meredeth.'

'What did he look like?'

'Tall, dark brown hair, really tiny nose. Wide smile, straight teeth. Almost no chin.'

Meredeth rubbed her hand over her own. 'So that's where it came from,' she murmured.

'I know you've got your life and I don't want to intrude on that, but if you ever have any questions about it, feel free to get in touch.' Joel drew a card out of his wallet. 'That has my cell and both my emails on it. Don't be a stranger, Meredeth.'

With that, Joel picked up the binder and walked out. As soon as he was gone Meredeth laid her forehead on the table and wept, then found herself hauled to her toes. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around Esposito's shoulders, breathed deeply.

'It's okay, baby. I'm here,' he murmured, wanting to battle someone, anyone so that his Meredeth's pain would disappear.

'I want to go home with you now.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	29. The Plot Twist D

When they arrived home, Esposito walked her upstairs, undressed her as gently as a child, tucked her into bed and for awhile, just watched her sleep. She was so peaceful when she slept now. No more monsters chasing her, dragging her back in time to be that terrified child alone in the dark. He changed out of his work clothes, tossed on a pair of sweats and went downstairs to the living room. With a shove, he moved the coffee table out of the way, and proceeded to punish the demons with brutal rounds of push-ups and sit-ups and leg squats.

He'd done the right thing. No matter how she grieved, no matter the harsh words she might throw at him, he'd done the right thing. She deserved to know who he was, even if Ted Addison had been too much of a selfish coward to come forward after Freja had died and let their child go on living her life without the most basic of questions answered. He knew it was the right thing because had he kept it from her out of some misguided sense of protection, it would have been a far deeper rift to try and heal. So Meredeth might have some choice words for him when she woke up, but those were dirt, they would wash away. They'd faced demons before together, his and hers, and they would face them again now.

Dripping sweat, he stared at the swirls of the ceiling stucco from his spot flat on his back in the living room. He vaguely remembered that they had dinner reservations tonight and thought about canceling them. Or he could call the restaurant, tell them they'd changed their minds and would be order from the caterer's menu instead. Maybe she'd be in the mood for something a little less fancy, like Petrelli's or Tierney's.

'Javi?'

He twisted his neck, saw she'd put on her kimono and come down stairs. With a groan he sat up, propped his elbows on his knees. 'I thought you were sleeping.'

'I was, or at least trying to. Do you want a drink?'

'I'll get one in a minute. Come sit down.'

Too blasted to do anything but follow his directions, Meredeth sat on the edge of the couch like she was in church - feet flat, hands folded in her lap, back ramrod straight. 'Has any of it started to sink in yet?'

'A little. At the very least I know who he was and I can ask Joel about family health history. The other questions...does it make me callous to say they don't mean that much any more?'

'How so?'

'I didn't feel like there was ever a void in my life because I didn't have a father. I think it'd be different if he was someone I'd known and he took off. But he was never there. You can't miss what you didn't have.' Meredeth sighed, looked at her hands, and realized she was twisting her engagement ring around her finger. 'I believe life is about making choices. He chose to be a coward and a little bitch, and look what he missed out on. I'm fabulous.'

She said it with such matter-of-fact wistfulness Esposito's only option was to laugh. 'Damn right you are.'

'And I'm making the choice to believe that my mother is giving him hell right now for being such an asshole.'

'Well if it's anything like what you did to Valencia last April, Ted will be walkin' funny around heaven for a few days, that's for damn sure.'

'And I also choose not to let this destroy my self-identity.' Meredeth held out her hand to his. 'Come with me for a moment.'

He obliged her and they went upstairs to their bedroom, where Meredeth stood in front of her full-length antique mirror, a little acquisition at a flea market in San Francisco. 'You know what I see when I see myself in this mirror?'

'A natural born ass-kicker?'

'Aside from that.' Meredeth smiled. 'I see the little girl who told her mother she could make a working airplane from a cardboard box, some pie tins and the wheels off the living room armchair. I see the twelve year old girl who fell asleep hugging a stuffed Gonzo doll her grandmother bought her for Christmas and kept it on her bed until...well, you see he's over there with Guy,' she said, pointing to the purple armchair where Gonzo and Guy Fawkes the Fox hung out. 'I see the eighteen year old who hitch-hiked in Bermuda because she stayed at the bar after the buses stopped running. I see the girl with self-esteem issues over her weight being told she is the most beautiful creature on the planet by you.'

She sighed, not out of grief or self pity but out of assertiveness. 'I saw all those things when I watched myself brush my teeth this morning, and I will see them again tomorrow. I'm not saying this hasn't gotten to me because it has. It's thrown me for a loop and I'm going to need support from you and my friends to make sure I don't slide down that very greasy slope.'

Esposito wrapped his arms around her waist, kissed her temple. 'I'd never let you fall like that.'

'I know. It's why I love you. You got my back, I got yours.'

'I love you too, Mere.'

She turned to him, kissing him gently, felt his arms envelope her. Here was comfort, strength, love. 'I'm going to rest. This has taken a lot out of me.'

'I don't doubt it.'

When she went back to bed, Esposito showered and redressed, and made the first of his phone calls.

* * *

Some time later, Meredeth awoke, feeling like she'd slept with her head in a vat of melted butter. She was disoriented and sweaty, and discovered she'd fallen asleep in her lovely kimono. With a frustrated tug, she pulled at the belt; as she sat up, she heard the distinct crinkle of paper under her hand.

_Mere - get a shower and get dressed when you're awake. I have a surprise for you downstairs - xx. J._

Too out of it to wonder what he had up his sleeve, Meredeth followed his instructions, putting on warm flannel pants and a heavy oversized sweater to fight against the early February chill. She went downstairs to the kitchen thinking she'd have a small glass of tea.

'Hey girl.' Lanie rose from the kitchen table where she was writing on pieces of cardstock. She set down her pen and holding a glass of white wine, wrapped her arms around the bride-to-be in a supportive hug. 'Not the news you thought you'd hear today, was it?' she murmured as she felt Meredeth shudder a little.

'No, not really.'

'Well don't worry, because we're here for you.' Ryan finished pouring wine in the remaining glasses; there were sitting on the kitchen table which had been transformed into a miniature buffet station: there were small trays of chicken, fish, steak and a pasta of some-kind, along with four kinds of potatoes, salad with three different kinds of dressing and a basket of salt-and-pepper garlic bread. 'Your boy's taking the dog out, in case you were wondering.'

Meredeth heard the door open; she saw him come in from the street with Arturo and moved from the kitchen to the front door in four seconds flat.

'Hey, look who's up and-'

It was as far as Esposito got before he found himself pinned against the door, as Meredeth grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him with such desperate passion he was surprised she didn't spontaneously combust.

'Thank you, Javi, I love you and thank you for this.'

'I love you and you're welcome. I figured you'd be pretty bummed about missing our tasting menu tonight, but that you also wouldn't want to go out on the town after a shitty day like that. So I called their catering service and got them to deliver. And I scared up our best man and maid of honour to join us.'

Esposito took her hand as they went into the kitchen and put a little taste of everything onto their plates before moving into the dining room, where four places were already set with silver and accompanied by the pen for making little notations.

'Okay, we've got our comment cards here, Ryan's got the drinks poured, are we missing anything?' Lanie asked, looking around as she lit the tapers waiting in brass holders.

'Oh music!' Ryan rushed into the living room's entertainment center, turned on the stereo before pushing a few buttons. The subtle, classy sounds of Frank Sinatra drifted through the speakers as he dimmed the lights for the dining room. 'Jazz makes everything classy.'

Esposito rolled his eyes. 'Is that how you convinced Jenny to go on a date with you? Made her think you were some hipster?'

'Please, you wouldn't know Jelly-Roll from a Swiss-Roll. Oh, mm,' Ryan swallowed his mouthful of rose farfalle with mushrooms and tomatoes. 'Big news. Dell is standing up now.'

'That's so cool! Like on his own?' Lanie inquired.

'Not yet. But he can pull himself up to the coffee table and stand up there while he's hanging on. The way he's developing, doctor thinks he'll be walking by Easter and talking by Memorial Day.'

'Wow that's ambitious,' Esposito commented, noting that while Meredeth didn't say much, she was watching and eating with fascination. 'You with us Mere?

Meredeth nodded as she ate steak and salad, made notes. It was the perfect balm for the ugliness slap she'd taken that day: good food, great friends and the man she loved.

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	30. The First Wedding Gift

The day after Valentine's day, after a very passionate night with his Meredeth - they'd got out their camcorder again and added to their very private collection of home movies - Esposito found himself in a flower shop with Meredeth, a little lost in reliving the night before. He still couldn't believe she'd let him cross off another of his fantasies with her but this one...this was probably the closest thing he'd ever gotten to living out a _Penthouse _letter in his life. He knew they had a healthy sex life and shared a level of curiosity about new and different things to try, but he hadn't been one-hundred percent certain as to whether he'd have gotten her enough in the mood for that one. He delight was surpassed only by his arousal for her, that she'd let him lick warm, melted chocolate off of her-

'Javi?'

'Yeah, babe.' He turned, making sure everything below the belt was in its proper place by adjusting the buttons of his overcoat. He saw the waiting looking on her face. 'Sorry, thinking about court tomorrow.'

'It's okay.' Meredeth knew he was full of shit; she recognized the dopey glazed look in his eyes in a microsecond. How could she not when it was the same look he got when she was showing off new underthings to him? But as they were in a public place, she played along and wandered around a table of arranged orchids and lilies. 'Are we planning in reverse on the flowers, too or do you have some ideas for that as well?'

'This is probably the only time I'll say this, but treat me like a child on this one. Unless it's your favourites, I don't know shit about them.'

Meredeth nodded. A lot of the time, unless they were in the business, men only knew two kinds - roses and their woman's favourite blooms. As he was such a man, she didn't blame him in the slightest. 'Speaking of favourite flowers, I talked to Robina this morning, you'll never guess what Gil bought her for hearts-day yesterday.'

'What?'

'A cactus.'

This one had Esposito stopping in front of a display of silk sunflower arrangements. 'A cactus?'

'Yeah, and the card said, for my prickly pear, love Gil, and instead of giving her chocolate, he sent her a big bag of Sour Kisses.'

'The gummy candies that look like lips?' Esposito paused to think of how Meredeth might react if he did something like that. 'Tell me she took it in the right spirit.'

'Mm-hmm, and she returned the favour by giving him a Boston Red Sox coffee mug for at the station.' Meredeth giggled, kissed his cheek. 'Some how, I don't know how, but some how those little acid barbs they trade are their terms of endearment. According to her, Gil calls her an uptight baseball dunce, she calls him an arrogant Yankees fanboy and then they're ripping each others clothes off.'

'It takes all kinds.' He might have played it cool, but inside Esposito was rejoicing to see his friend happy, and happy with a woman again, after the emotional dessication he'd survived with leaving his wife. Before he could comment on Meredeth saying the card had been signed 'love', so he'd have something to tease Gil about, a petite woman with porcelain skin and dark brown eyes came out from the back room, wiping her hands on her leaf-green apron as she approached them.

'Hello there, I'm Maureen. Can I help you?'

'I'm Javier Esposito, this is my fiancee Meredeth Coleman. We got your name from Richard Castle about doing floral arrangements for our wedding.'

'Oh, of course, of course!' Maureen let her apron drop, marched over to shake hands with both of them. Being an avid reader, Maureen knew who both Richard Castle and Meredeth Coleman were. 'I can't wait for the miniseries, Miss Coleman. I've been following it since the production started. Oh listen to me, you came here to get some business taken care of, not be fawned over by a gushing fan-girl.'

'Don't see why we can't do both.'

'Do you have some idea of where you'd like to start?'

'No red roses. I know their the symbol of romantic love, but our wedding party is wearing pastel colours so red would look all wrong.'

'My best man, he suggested white roses,' Esposito commented, 'he said they go with pretty much everything.'

Maureen nodded. 'Yes, that's very true. Simple, pure, elegant. What does the dress look like? Oh, sorry,' Maureen cut herself off, 'guess you can't really talk about that with the man here, can you?'

'All I'll say is that it's magnolia white. And the bridesmaids, they're wearing lemon yellow, leaf green, coral, and watermelon pink. Ah, and it's end of August, Friday the thirtieth, in Central Park at Bethesda Terrace. Very small and intimate.'

'You're getting married on a Friday? That doesn't happen very often. Of course, I went to a wedding on a Tuesday, so I suppose everything is possible.' Maureen pulled out a binder, flipped to a blank information page and took notes about the details of the wedding. 'Will you or any of the wedding party be wearing flowers in your hair?'

'No, I don't think so. Maybe if we were getting married in San Francisco.'

'Cheesy pun, Mere, very cheesy pun.'

'No a cheesy pun is saying I Camembert hearing a bad joke.' Fishing into her tent-sized purse while he laughed at her, Meredeth came up with a printed email from Constance. 'The bridal flowers should be the same kind of flowers as the maid of honour, and the maid of honour colours should match the bridesmaid, with the groom's, best man's and ushers flowers corresponding accordingly. The ring-bearers' should match the colour of the bride and groom, while the parents of the bride and groom should match the maid of honour and best man.'

'Very good advice. Well, aside from roses, what other flowers do you like?'

'I like amaryllis and tulips, and sunflowers, but again sunflowers don't really go with our colours.'

'What are those big snow-ball lookin' ones over there?' Esposito pointed to a tiered-step display of bright blooms in purple and pink and white. 'They look fun.'

'Those are hydrangeas. They're very fragrant but not too overpowering. They're great for centerpieces. Excuse me a moment.' While Maureen went to answer the shop's ringing phone, Esposito stepped over to Meredeth.

'Where'd you get the little list from?'

'I emailed Momo. The way she gardens and does floral arranging is like how I cook.'

Esposito nodded sagely. 'So in other words, ignoring her advice would be like me trying to make souffle.'

'In a nutshell.' Meredeth kissed him, smiled as Maureen came back. 'Is it possible to do tinting on hydrangeas?'

* * *

'Hey flower child!'

Esposito looked up as he got on the elevator, saw Gil grinning at him as he snapped his gum between his teeth. 'It's a little terrifying to know that you now have a semi-direct line on my life now.'

'That's what happens when the women are friends. You tend to hear the sweet and sour gossip whether you want to or not.'

'On the word 'sour', did you really give Robina a cactus yesterday?'

Gil nodded as the doors closed. 'We agreed since we've only been dating a few months we didn't want anything super heavy and romantic, especially since TJ was going to be around, so we went for corny fun.'

'She didn't get a sitter?'

'Can't really blame her. TJ was born on Valentine's Day, so she was having his birthday party and it's only his second one without his dad. Next weekend, different story. I'm taking her out for a night on the town. Dinner, dancing, the works and we won't be coming home until after breakfast.'

'Enjoy.' Esposito slapped Gil's shoulder as the doors opened and he stepped off onto the Homicide floor. As he approached his desk, he saw a little white box with multi-coloured ribbons on top. Intrigued, he picked it up, shook it.

'Yo, Esposito, you get everything picked out at Maureen's?' Castle strolled out of the break room, saw the detective sniffing at a gift package. 'What's that?'

'Don't know, it was just sitting here.'

'Oh, that.' Ryan came up behind Castle, saw what they were examining. 'Delivery guy dropped it off for you. Passed the bomb and drug scan so you know no one's trying to kill you.'

Becket walked out of the Captain's office, saw the three grown men staring at the gift like it was a relic from an alien spacecraft. 'What's going on?'

'Esposito has a secret admirer, it seems,' Castle told her. 'Open up, open up!'

Slitting the tape of the lid with his pocket knife, Esposito pulled out the heavy object wrapped in white tissue paper. He let out a laugh when he saw it was a bright blue coffee mug with white script than read 'Mister Lady Hawk' along the side; in the mug itself were various flavoured condoms including, he saw upon further examination, several chocolate ones. He read the card tucked in amongst them aloud: 'For Meredeth.'

Esposito glanced up and saw Ryan and Castle both shaking with contained laughter. 'Oh ha-ha, you guys.'

'Just thought you'd like a little help planning your honey-moon, bro.' Ryan gave him a knowing wink. 'We know how much you two like chocolate.'

R&R&Enjoy!


	31. The March Fourth Surprises

There was something in the air, Meredeth could feel it. Maybe it was because the temperature had risen to a balmy sixty-eight at the end of February and by March fourth the snow was beginning to melt; it was one of her favourite scents in the world, the smell of that melting snow meant spring was around the corner, the promise of rebirth and green shoots on the way.

Either way, it was a great day to be outside and decided to walk Arturo up and down the block while she waited for Honey-Milk and Dell to arrive. She had just made it back to her front stoop when she saw Honey-Milk shoving a winter-dressed Dell along in his stroller towards her.

'Hey mama!' she called out brightly, twisting her grip on Arturo's leash so he wouldn't bowl them over in his excitement. After Meredeth and Esposito, Honey-Milk was Arturo's favourite person in the world and had followed her around like an honour guard when she was pregnant and visiting, and was delighted by the smell of Dell.

Sure enough, when they approached Arturo's butt was wiggling like a worm and he caught a whiff of the powder-and-cream baby odor that always hovered around babies. 'Easy, there, Artie,' Meredeth murmured, scratching the dog on the back of the neck.

'You all set for arts and crafts?' Honey-Milk turned the stroller around to bump it up the stairs.

'Absolutely.'

They went inside, Arturo snuffling after the new arrivals with his usual enthusiasm as Meredeth unzipped her coat. 'I invited Lili to join us too. Or rather, Cam begged me to take her off his hands for awhile. She's been restricted on bed-rest for the last two weeks after her blood pressure was too low, and she'd been driving him up the wall.' She paused. 'Felicity called last week, asked Cam if he was still married to the Spic slut.'

'That's such total shi..sh-kebabs' she corrected herself. 'I've had to watch my mouth a lot more these days. Dell's been trying to start talking by imitating my words, you know?'

'Too cute.'

'Ryan's picking me up here, by the way, when the boys are off shift, so you don't have to worry about me and the big guy making it to the subway in the dark.' Honey-Milk plunked Dell down in his chair-topping baby seat so he was sitting upright at the table with them; she gave him a bottle and was careful not to trip on Arturo who'd parked himself, naturally, right beside Dell's chair. 'Just like daddy, can't get enough of that white grape juice, huh? I swear, since he turned into a vegetarian, Kevin's been drinking that stuff like it's going to be banned.'

Meredeth smiled as she came back from the dining room, picked up the boxes of supplies from the card-and-print shop. 'How is that going?'

'Better than you might think. He eats a lot of soy, and tofu. He's very happy to have discovered that Thai place, Monsoon's? Oh, sweetie, sweetie, careful!' Honey-Milk watched as Dell shook his arms, and spilled droplets of juice onto Arturo's golden head. 'Arturo won't like that.'

'Ro, ro, ro, ro,' Dell babbled, giving her a grin identical to his father's.

'Trust me, if Arturo can handle Javi accidentally stepped on his tail in the middle of the night, Dell's white grape shower is crumbs,' Meredeth laughed. 'Okay, we've got our guest list, card stock, decorative charm stickers, envelopes. You've got your calligraphy pens and the scrapbook adhesive. You have the printed sheets?'

'Yes.' Honey-Milk sighed lovingly as she read it aloud. 'Meredeth Dakkars Coleman, daughter of the late Freja Dakkars Coleman and Javier Jimeno Esposito, son of Alejandro Batista Esposito and Rosalita Sanchia Huertas Esposito request the honour of your presence at their wedding on Friday August thirtieth at two pm by the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.' She nodded, reached for the stack of multi-hued card-stock. 'Very classy, though if you don't mind me asking, why are you doing this yourself? You've got gobs of money, you could have these gold-plated if you want.'

'There's something much more intimate about doing it yourself. And I want the time to spend time doing these bride and bridesmaids kinds of things. Between Lili being pregnant, you being a new mom, and Beckett and Lanie working for the police, it can be difficult to organize those really girly things every bride should indulge in.'

There was a knock on the door, followed by the sound of it opening and shutting with a great wet sniffle. 'Mere?' Lili's voice fairly warbled back to the kitchen. 'You downstairs?'

The wedding invitations were forgotten as both women leapt up. 'Lili, honey, what's going on?' Meredeth asked as Honey-Milk gave her a tight embrace and led her to the living room couch.

'We're having a girl!' Lili exploded, a grin splitting her face as she swiped at tears. 'I'm have a daughter growing in here,' she wept as she rubbed her belly under her coat. 'We wanted to know before, so we could plan the nursery for a little boy or a little girl, and we saw the sonogram today and it's a girl!'

'Oh, sweetie!' Meredeth wrapped her arms around Lili, held her tightly. 'Javi's going to be so excited!'

'He is, I already called him when we were leaving the doctor's office, I could hear him telling Ryan and Castle he's having a niece. Mami and Papa, too.'

'Let's get some bubbly and toast.' Meredeth tugged the ever-expanding mother-to-be to her feet and the trio went into the kitchen where Meredeth poured ginger-ale into wine-glasses. 'Here's to the safe arrival of Baby Girl George. Or is it George-Esposito?'

'I think we're leaning towards George-Esposito. Cam wants to acknowledge the Hispanic heritage I bring into the gene-pool and upbringing, unlike some people-'

'No.' Honey-Milk's tone was firm, like when she was dealing with a patient who didn't want to take his pills. 'We're not bringing that she-devil into our happy toast. To Lili and Cameron and Baby Girl George-Esposito.'

They clinked glasses and drank as Dell sucked down the last of his juice. 'Dee adan?' he said in a hopeful little tone to his mother, gesturing with his empty bottle.

'Yes, all done. What do we say? We say thank you.'

'Daku.'

'Good boy.'

'Oh.' Lili's eye filled up again as she watched the exchange. 'Oh God, I don't wanna cry again, I've cried enough today.'

'Javi used my razor to do some man-scaping for Valentine's day,' Meredeth said in a rush, using the same technique Beckett had tried on her when she'd seen herself in her wedding dress for the first time. Sure enough, Lili's eyes dried and a look of horror crossed his face.

'I don't need those kind of details about my _brother_! That is definitely too...' Lili trailed off. 'He didn't, did he? You just did that to stop my squalling.'

'Not saying.' Meredeth giggled. 'But it worked didn't it?'

* * *

A few hours later, they'd finished assembling and addressing the invites to the wedding; Lili had decided to take a nap while Meredeth got dinner ready and Honey-Milk fed Dell in his dinner of soft cereal and pureed strawberries.

'Mm, yum, yum, isn't it, Dell? Yes,' Honey-Milk agreed as she dipped the little spoon into Dell's waiting open mouth. 'We won't tell Daddy we dipped into his breakfast strawberries will we? That's our little secret.'

'You're welcome to stay for dinner if you like,' Meredeth said to her as she whisked together ketchup and maple syrup in a mixing bowl, added ginger and Dijon seeds before pouring it over a waiting cut of beef. 'I'm making smokehouse roast for myself and Esposito, but I can always do a little veggie roast for Ryan. I've got fresh mushrooms and eggplant in the fridge.'

'No, it's okay, we've got an appointment with the dentist tomorrow. He's starting to teeth,' Honey-Milk replied, dabbing at Dell's mouth, 'and I have a feeling he's not going to be a happy boy when that really gets going.'

Arturo, who'd spent the entire afternoon all but glued to Dell's side, pricked up his ears and trotted to the door, bouncing on his coaster-sized paws as Esposito and Ryan walked in, brushing flakes of fresh snow off.

'Figure that one out,' Ryan said, unlacing his leather winter boots before heading . 'This morning, you feel like you want to go swimming, ten hours later, you want to put another log on the fire.'

'Gotta love global warming. Speaking of warming.' Esposito grinned as he followed his partner, saw Meredeth setting the oven timer and gave her a warm kiss. 'Hey gorgeous.'

'Hey handsome.'

Then, from across the room came a little voice, sweet and innocent as an angel. 'Handsome.'

Esposito's eyes flew open in mid-kiss, as did Meredeth's, and they turned to see the look on Ryan and Honey-Milk's faces. 'Did he just say that?'

'Dell.' Honey-Milk set down the spoon, looked at him in awe. 'What did you say?'

'Handsome.'

Ryan pressed his lips together as Meredeth and Esposito came over. 'Can you say Daddy?'

'Daddy.'

'And Mommy?'

'Mommy.' Dell gave a big grin as the people around him made happy noises.

Meredeth gripped Esposito's hand tightly. 'Can you say Meredeth?'

'Mahwadet.'

'And Javi?'

'Hoppy.'

Esposito laughed. 'Close enough.'

Meredeth smiled, wrapped her arms around Esposito's waist as Dell's parents quizzed him and kissed him when he said new words for the first time, the light of discovery shining in his eyes. Yes there had definitely been something in the air today.

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	32. The Surveillance Details

'So where are you?'

'In my car, drinking a smoothie.'

'No, I mean, where are you on the wedding planning?'

Esposito sipped from his aluminum Lady-Hawk bottle - the one he'd gotten from Comic-Con when he'd surprised Meredeth - as he watched the building with focus. Normally straight coming-and-going details were reserved for the beat-cops lookin' to make a rep for themselves but Beckett insisted in this case as the subject under watch had a tiny history of giving the uniforms the slip, that it be her two detectives with Castle and herself in a second car for back-up on the other side of the building covering the detail.

'We've gotten a lot done. We've got the invites sent, flowers picked out for the ceremony and the reception, a venue for the reception, I've even gotten started on my vows.'

'Can I hear them?'

'Not yet. I will run them by you, but they need tweaking still.'

'Good. It's healthy you're not leaving the details to Meredeth. A bride and groom should take equal responsibilities, it is a day for them to share.'

Beckett's voice crackled through the radio of Esposito's ride. 'Anything yet detectives?'

'That's a negative, Beckett, but I think Ryan's ready to audition to be the next host on Pimp My Wedding,' he replied into the communicator.

'Detective Ryan, until you can match Castle's rant on the merits of the trayed canape course over a buffet of hors d'oeuvres, you'll need to hold onto that applicantion form.'

There was a hiss of static over the speaker, then Castle's primly righteous voice. 'Trayed canapes are classier, they are certainly more hygienic and you don't end up paying for wasted food that way.'

'There will be five cops, a two months post-natal breastfeeding woman, a paramedic and two pre-pubescent boys at the reception, as well as the other guests, and you think there's going to be a scrap of wasted food?'

Another hiss of static, then - 'Point Ryan-Crantz and Guilden-sposito.'

'Get off the mike, you guys,' Beckett admonished them from her end. 'Keep it clear.'

'Copy that, boss.' Esposito hung the radio receiver in its cradle by the dials as his watch beeped; it was time to switch spots. 'Bro you're up.'

'Sweet deal.'

Ryan popped out of the back seat of the car, around to the driver's side where he traded places with Esposito, picked up the clipboard with their notes hastily written in their cop shorthand. Once he settled, he put his hand over the seat. 'Hit me bro.'

'With what? The cartoon mallet I've got down my pants?'

'Leave the sex jokes for your bride.' Ryan waggled his fingers. 'Hit me.'

Esposito rolled his eyes, then plopped the expected bottle into his partner's hands, followed by a Ziploc bag. As usual, Meredeth kept him smiling through the tedium of a surveillance watch with her good cookin'. This time, it was orange-passionfruit smoothies and California wraps - bean sprouts, green peppers, avocado and honey-dew melon with poppy-seed dressing, while Ryan got grilled eggplant lieu of the pan-seared tilapia in Esposito's sandwich. 'Why doesn't Honey-Milk ever make you food for these overnights?'

'She's a good cook, just not creative. Besides I look forward to Mere's treats, just like you do.' Ryan paused before taking a bite. 'Though I'm sure she's got other treats you look forward to, too.'

'What is with you, you're like a horny fourteen year-old tonight?' Esposito caught Ryan's reflection in the mirror, saw the twinkle in his eye. 'Oh, and the truth comes out. _That's_ why she didn't have time to make you food. You two were too busy making a brother or sister for Dell.'

He grinned devilishly; it had been awhile since he'd gotten to ravish his wife the way he'd done so before he'd gone on shift tonight, a spontaneous clearing of the breakfast table. 'Detective Ryan, in the kitchen, with the-'

'Hey guys.' Castle's voice came through the radio. 'We may have some movement here, over.'

Ryan set aside his untouched sandwich, picked up the radio receiver. 'Say again.'

'Give me that.' Now it was Beckett speaking. 'Ryan, we've got someone approaching the building from our side, keep your eyes peeled, he may come around your corner.'

From the back seat, Esposito sat up at alert, his hand going to his holstered weapon. They watched as the twenty-something in a hoodie and baggy jeans rounded the corner, then crossed the street in front of them, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it as he continued on his way.

'That's a negative, Beckett, our boy is lighting up a smoke and heading east on Sixteenth Street,' Ryan said dutifully.

'Wait and see if he doubles back.'

Ryan and Esposito watched the hoodie, whose head was visible over the fence line of the park as it continued on its way until he disappeared to the right at the next block. 'Confirmed, he just turned south on Third, heading away from our target building.'

'Copy that, Detective.'

Ryan hung the receiver back up, then bit into his sandwich. 'Good god, it's like sex in a flour tortilla. So, where's the reception being held?'

'The Starlight Terrace of the Deheere Towers.'

'Sounds fancy.'

'To borrow a Lili-ism, it's way posh.' Esposito drank his smoothie, the taste of orange and passion-fruit a nice change of the constant stream of cheap, non-Castle-cappuccino-maker-produced coffee. And it had a tasteless protein booster in it to help keep him going. 'It's the penthouse ballroom of DeHeere Towers with a retractable glass roof, so we can literally be dancing under the stars at our wedding.'

'Sounds like it's going to be beautiful. My turn to be corny now.' Ryan finished making the notation in their notes about the passing hoodie. 'You know how Dell started talking two weeks ago?'

Esposito nodded, remembering well the way Ryan's baby boy had agreed with Meredeth and called him 'handsome', then 'Hoppy' when trying to pronounce his name and mangled Meredeth's into 'Mahwahdet'. Still, to see how the eight-month-old was discovering how to label items with spoken words was hilarious and precious, particularly when he called Ryan's spinach salad 'fowers' at dinner a few nights before. 'Sure do, bro.'

'Him and Jenny were on their way back from the dentist's and they stopped in front of a pet store, which I guess had some dogs in the windows, and Dell pointed to them and said 'Turo, Mama, Turo'.'

'Turo? Oh! Turo, I get it.' Esposito snorted. 'I don't know who loves who more, Dell or Arturo.'

'If Arturo was a guy, I'd have to pound on him the way he makes goo-goo eyes at my wife. Are there any cookies?'

'Why, are all yours in Jenny's cookie jar?'

'Now who's the pervert?'

Esposito shook his head, pulled out a second ziploc bag. 'Here, you man-child, beer-nut sugar cookies, your favourites.'

There was another crackle and hiss on the radio and this time it was Castle whose voice came into the Crown Vic. 'Hey, Esposito, since you didn't bring me any brownies or cinnamon pecans from your bride, you can indulge me and tell me about the menu you've got happening at the reception.'

'I don't know if that's a good idea. We might give Ryan here a food-gasm if we talk about it too much,' Esposito replied.

'I could make so many mayonnaise jokes, but I really would like to hear about it.'

'Alright.' Esposito relented, wondering if distracting them with hunger pains was a good idea. 'We're doing trayed hors d'oeuvres-'

'Ha, see Ryan? I was right.'

'We picked out spinach and marscapone things, stuffed mushrooms, and some kind of tomato goat-cheese thing. Either way, it's delicious.'

'No crab and shrimp puffs?'

Ryan leaned over to speak into the receiver. 'Lanie's allergic to shellfish. She even smells the stuff and she'd puff up like...well, a crab puff. On to dinner.'

'Salad, we're having mixed green with black olives, cantaloupe and lemon poppy-seed dressing. Main course, there's three options - cinnamon-sugar filet mignon braised in red wine with crispy potatoes and fresh crudite, salmon poached in white wine with wild rice and steamed asparagus, or for the herbivores among us,' he added, giving Ryan a light punch in the shoulder, 'cappellini primavera with vodka sauce. After that, drunk watermelon salad, and watermelon gelato for the under-twenty-ones. Then of course, there's the cake.'

'Let me guess.' The sound of Castle smacking his gums was definitely audible over the police radio. 'Hungarian dobosh torte with hazelnut and peanut butter mousse?'

'No, but damn that sounds good.' Esposito made a mental note to ask Meredeth about that one for his birthday in a month and a half's time.

Now it was Beckett's excited voice who came through the speakers. Despite not showing it off too often, Esposito knew his superior officer had a love of cake; as she'd eaten Meredeth's home-made ones before, it was no surprised she sounded like an eager school girl. 'Oh, oh my turn! French vanilla sponge with strawberries and Amaretto whipped cream.'

'We're not having Heart of Chelios cake at the wedding, Beckett.'

'Damn. I like that one. She made it for Castle and I on Valentine's Day. Okay, we give up.'

'It is going to be triple layer angel food cake with raspberry, pineapple and lemon custards, and lemon buttercream frosting.'

Esposito only grinned as he heard them sighing through the radio. Food-gasm had indeed been achieved.

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	33. The Radio Stars

_Hello faithful readers! Glad to see everyone's still givin' the Crumbs-verse some love! This is a VERY dialogue heavy chappie, as it's a radio interview Meredeth does for a call-in show, so I don't recommend this one if you're feeling sleepy! Cheers!_

* * *

'Don't be nervous.'

'I'm not. This is more my speed.'

Esposito kissed Meredeth's cheek as they rode up the elevator to the radio studio for her appearance on the lunchtime talk show Say What. It was the first of the promo blitz that Robina had arranged for the miniseries, her exclusive interview with Simon Whalen would help her confidence and stress level a great deal. Whalen was one of the top online radio personalities whose interviews were pod-casted to internet sites like _Cinematical, Slate, Huffington Post _and _The A.V. Club_, sites she'd told him the hardcore nerds used to get the word out. It also helped that Say What happened to be hosted by Simon Whalen, a former classmate of Meredeth's at Columbia, which put her even more at ease over the first of the upcoming press appearances for the series.

Placing his hand at the small of her back as the elevator doors opened, Esposito followed her out to the brightly light studios where a peppy blond intern who made Lili look like the Jolly Green Giant bounced up to them, clipboard in hand and her squeaky cockatoo voice chirping away.

'Hi, Miss Coleman, I'm Poppy, I'm Simon's producer, we're just thrilled you could make it. We know you're going to be very busy in the next weeks getting everything ready for the miniseries premiere. I can't wait for it to come out, I've already got my copy pre-ordered off the CBS store so I'll have it right after it airs. Would you like anything to drink? Coffee? Water?'

'Diet Coke, please.'

'Absolutely. Oh, Simon, there you are.' Poppy stopped a mountain of a man in his tracks. He was at least six and a half feet tall, with shaggy red hair slicked into a tail at the nape of his neck and a jaw that looked like it could grind walnuts to dust.

'Meredeth, so glad you could make it!' He enveloped her in his trunk-like arms, making her all but disappear in the folds of his sweater. 'And you must be Javier, glad to meet you. I follow her Twitter, and she just bubbles about you.'

'Really?' Esposito looked at her with a funny little grin, making his fiancee pink in the cheeks.

'You're my Javi,' she said simply, sweetly, as they followed Simon into his booth where he showed them the ropes.

'You don't have to worry about any buttons or anything, that's all done by Poppy and myself. If you need a cough break just do this.' Simon held up his fingers so he made a lower-case b with them. 'We're going to do three seventeen minute segments. First one is my pre-scripted questions, the second is emailed questions from listeners, and the third is live over the phone questions. Then, after you're done, there's a bunch of the staff who I know are dying for some photos and autographs.'

'Of course.'

'Oh, and Javier, if you stick around you'll be in the booth with Poppy.'

Esposito nodded. He was only on-call today so he knew unless it was an emergency there would be very little chance of him being called. Stepping into the glass-partitioned booth he watched the peppy producer put on her headphones for sound checks, proving the first impression of her as a cute-but-stupid blonde was wrong - she manned the control panel with a dexterity that proved she knew exactly what she was doing.

Within a few minutes the opening theme of Say What was zipping out of the speakers, followed by Simon's voice loud and clear.

'What up New York, Simon Whalen here with you for the next hour on a very special Say What chat. If you've been following my Twitter, and I know you have based on the emails and re-Tweets I've been seeing, you know exactly who my guest is today. She's a New York native, and co-creator along with Kristof Schillen of the _Lady Hawk_ graphic novel series. The series' sixth book appeared last August and sold a record breaking two million plus copies, making her the best-selling female graphic novelist of all time. She's received honours including two Harvey Awards, a Will Eisner Award, last year's Comic-Con Personality of the Year and the Bob Kane Pioneers Medal. Today she's here to talk about the _Lady Hawk_ miniseries that will air on CBS beginning on May 6th at eight pm, please welcome the one and only Meredeth Coleman.'

Esposito did a little boogie-on-the-spot as he heard his fiancee's accolades; he imagined this was how she felt when he'd received his merit for bravery the previous May. He was so proud of her, and the way she glowed at the praise was reason enough to make him fall in love with her all over again. Unsurprisingly, her voice was strong and confident as she answered the DJ's interview questions, the same smoky sound he'd first heard, before he'd even seen that smile or those beautiful blue eyes.

'She's really good, Javier,' Poppy commented. 'A lot of people think radio is easier, then they stumble and stutter.'

'Meredeth's a natural storyteller.' He thought of the previous night when they'd indulged in a dirty bedtime story, listened to the smutty words in her sexy voice and bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from getting all hot and bothered. 'It's her gift.'

By the end of the first two segments, when Meredeth had a pause for a drink and a stretch, he went into the booth with her, gave her a supportive kiss. 'You sound like a pro-star, babe.'

'Really?'

'Well, you're turning my dial,' he joked, getting a swat from her along with a kiss. 'You actually came up with the idea for the roof-top battle in the shower?'

'Sure. Didn't you ever wonder why I call taking a relaxing steam time in the think-tank?'

'I figured you were just being funny.'

'Thirty seconds, Simon,' Poppy reminded them from the control booth. 'And the first caller is Katie from Mid-Town, she's asking about the voice cast.'

Meredeth nodded, already generating an answer - she'd seen Mila and Tory, Milo and Laura handle these questions at Comic-Con and had a fairly decent idea of what to say.

'We're back and we're now getting to my favourite part, the live questions. Poppy tells me our first caller is Katie, she has a question about the voice cast.' Simon pressed a button on his control panel. 'Go ahead Katie.'

'Hi, Meredeth. I was curious to know if you have a voice cameo in the series?''

Meredeth's eyes bugged out, and she glanced over through the glass to Esposito whose face mirrored the shock she felt at hearing Beckett's voice through the speakers. 'I do, actually. In part two, listen for the television reporter breaking the news story on the drug bust in South River. That's my fifteen seconds.'

'Thanks, I'll be sure to tune in.'

Simon gave Meredeth a funny look but kept going. 'Who do we have next, Poppy?'

'We have Ricky and Kevin on line three.'

'A two-fer, excellent.'

Just as Meredeth thought she'd gotten her composure back, she heard the unmistakable voices of her hubby-to-be's best friend and her own father of the bride stand-in.

'Yeah, this is Ricky.'

'And Kevin.'

'We have the same question so we called in together. That scene with Joshua's fantasy of the champagne bath, was that inspired by your own experiences?'

Meredeth couldn't help but crack up laughing. 'Well Ricky and Kevin, despite having opened up publicly about my private life this past year and a half that book was written eight years ago, so unfortunately I have to disappoint you and say it was just the product of a good imagination.'

'That guy you always mention in your Tweets, Javi, he must be very lucky indeed.'

'The way I was woken up today, I'd say I'm the lucky one,' Meredeth zinged back, winking at the grinning Esposito. It was the kind of comment she knew would just make those two spin their wheels; they loved nothing more than to egg her man about the great sex life they had together. Wasn't their little 'gift' to him proof of that?

'Poppy hit me with another fan,' Simon declared.

'We have Elenia on line four.'

'Hi Meredeth, congratulations on your upcoming wedding, any word on whether you'll get to be a presenter at the Emmy Awards?'

This time, Meredeth giggled and clapped her hands at Lanie's voice. 'No, no word yet, just crossing my fingers the show is a success.'

'Any plans to throw a premiere party?'

'Maybe. We'll wait and see. Who's next Poppy?' Getting into the spirit now, Meredeth found herself mentally flipping through the guest list of her wedding.

'We have Jennifer on line six.'

'If this is who I think it is,' Meredeth said as Simon pushed the button, 'then that's not her name, it's actually Honey-Milk.'

'My birth certificate says otherwise, but more importantly, I have a young man here who has a few words for you. Can you say hi Meredeth?'

Meredeth's heart melted when she heard little Dell's voice on the line. 'Hi Mahwahdet.'

'Can you say 'Lady Hawk'?'

'La-dee Hawk.'

In Poppy's booth, she twisted around to look at Esposito as another call went through. 'Did I miss something?'

'Those calls all came from our friends, and I'm pretty sure I know exactly who put them up to this.' Esposito shook his head, unsure of whether Meredeth was going to thank Gil for his little nudges or make Mister Mazzara into Missus.

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	34. The Welcome Home

Esposito opened the door to the town house, breathed deeply. It felt good to be home at a decent hour; since he'd been in court all day and they'd adjourned at five, he'd been able to make it home at six thirty.

He hung his spring-weight jacket, soaked from the rainstorm raging outside, on the peg and began to count down.

'Three, two, one...' he murmured as he dropped his keys in the bowl and slipped off his shoes. Sure enough, Arturo came skittering to the door, tail wagging and tags jingling. Since his suit needed dry cleaning anyways, he didn't object when the mixed-breed planted his paws on his chest, washed hid face with puppy-kisses. 'Hey buddy, where's Mommy at, huh? Go find her.'

Arturo, who'd come to understand that when Esposito said 'Mommy' he meant Meredeth, raced up the stairs with Esposito following him. He dropped his bag just inside the door and stopped short when he saw Meredeth fast asleep on their bed, her laptop open and making noises at her to plug in or suffer the consequences. One long-fingered palm rested on her thigh, the other by her cheek, a little wisp of hair by her mouth fluttering every time she exhaled. She wasn't just closing her eyes, he realized, she was conked right out; he knew this because he knocked over his Axe aerosol on the dresser and she didn't flinch. When he'd undressed from his suit, he stayed in his boxers and carefully slid onto the bed behind her, putting his hand over hers as he brushed the long light brown strands back from her perpetually rosy cheek. Whenever he heard Castle use the term 'apple-cheeked' now, he though of her. There were a few little dark spots here and there, leftover marks of teenage acne infections, but the texture was soft and smooth as silk.

He laid his lips against her there, and only then did she stir, breathing deeply through her nose and flexing her knees. 'Javi? I didn't hear you come in,' she mumbled in a sleep thick voice. 'I made turkey meat pies, they're cooling on the rack downstairs.'

'You were out cold.'

Meredeth shook her head, tried to turn towards him, but found herself on the receiving end of a hug, with her fiance's hands close to her breasts.

'Why are you topless, Mere? Not that I'm complaining or something.'

'I got in a fight with a bowl of sweet potato-carrot mash and it won, so my clothes are soaking in the laundry room. I figured since I was on my way upstairs for a snooze, no biggie.'

'Well, I like it.' Esposito kissed her shoulder gently, moved his hand down to the snap of her jeans, helped tug them over her legs. 'There, that better?'

'Mmhmm. Tell me about your day, how was court? Which case was it again?'

'The theatre troupe double-bill.' Esposito tightened his hold on her, told her about the antics of the lawyers and the witnesses who were treating it like yet another audition. Despite being only half-awake, she still asked him intelligent questions, her fingers rubbing over the knuckles of the hand resting on her breasts. He loved moments like this with her, simple, quiet, just the two of them. They both had lives so full people, very loud let's-share-everything people, that whenever she got the chance to be alone with him like this it was like finding a little slice of heaven. Now that she was waking up, her blood was starting to move around at the feel of him so close and as undressed as she was. Taking his hand, she raised it to her lips, kissing the fingertips with light butterfly brushes before she lowered it back to her breast. Her sigh of appreciation was deep and satisfied when he didn't simply let it lie but instead let it drift ever so slightly south to the underside curve and gently massage her, his thumb rubbing gently back and forth over her skin.

Esposito felt his pulse pick up speed; it was the most alert he'd felt all day. With a subtle nudge, he rolled Meredeth to her back so she was flat underneath him and he lowered his mouth to hers. That mouth, so beautiful and lush, was the best kind of welcome home and matched with that body felt like paradise. Nudging her laptop aside to a safety zone, he shifted so he was lying directly on top of her, his other hand moving to her other breast. Starting at the top, he kissed her jaw line, cruised down to where her pulse was starting to bang like a drum in her throat; he felt nipples harden against his palms as he nipped at her flesh.

'Feels good, baby,' she murmured.

'Good.' His lips trailed down over her collarbone and he took his time to plant wet, lingering kisses over each of her freckles, saving the one near her nipple for last so that by the time he got to it, she was arching her hips into his in anticipation. He took that sweet, heated point into his mouth and his moan of pleasure matched hers as he used his tongue to trace lazy circles over her skin until he flicked his tongue over her; her gasp of delight was bright, he felt the dampness through her painfully adorable red panties. Leaving his mouth where it was, he pulled them over her hips so he lay with her naked beneath him, her body pumping heat out like a furnace.

Because he knew it would drive her mad, he moved his mouth over to her other breast, let his hand drift down to between her thighs and felt himself harden to iron when he felt the wet warmth there. He knew she wouldn't expect it, so with careful caressing strokes he traced his fingertips over her, sank one inside her; his libido all but sang when he heard her let out a strangled moan. He moved up her body, so his lips pressed against her throat, where he murmured, 'You like that?'

Since all Meredeth could manage was a whimpering 'uh-huh', Esposito slipped his hand away, and quick as lightening moved down her body to taste her rather than just touch her. Once again, because he knew the element of surprise worked so well on her, he did more than what he knew she was anticipating, and parted those heated lips to drive his tongue inside her.

'Jesus God, Javi!' Her oath was loud, and where it came from Meredeth didn't know, as she'd believed her brain had turned to Jell-O when he'd slipped his hand between her legs. Every nerve ending on her previously-fatigued body was electrocuted into life as sensation flood every cell, as she pressed her hands to the back of his head to grind her hips against him. 'I'm- I-'

'Not yet,' he panted, lifting his head from her; with a few deft moves he shed his boxers and reached into the bedside table for a condom, which he rolled on in what had to be record speed. Taking her hand, Esposito placed it between their bodies so she could guide him in. The one predictable move she had, the one that never failed to get him hot, was this one: as he slid inside her, she gave off that little 'oh', that little gasp that made him nearly lose his mind. Wrapping her legs around his waist he brushed one hand over her face as he began to move inside her, his eyes never leaving her face. He watched as he saw the orgasm gather inside her, and when her breath hitched in her chest, he changed his angle so he was steeped even farther inside. 'Now, Mere.'

'Javi.' It was the only thing she could think of at the moment - his name, and everything it meant to her. Bowing back, she let the dark cresting wave of pleasure tumble through her, making her shudder with every stroke until she felt him go rigid, then collapse on top of her.

They lay twined together, listening to the miserable weather pound on the window. Rather then wanting to curl up and go to sleep beside her, Esposito felt like he could jump up and run back to the station. He twined a strand of Meredeth's hair around his finger.

'I didn't ask, but how was your day, Mere?'

'When my brain is back in working function I'll tell you,' she replied with a chuckle, then sat up as he disposed of the condom. 'I got a lot of stuff done, planning different set-ups for the reception, organizing seating charts, little details finalized. And I was doing some research, too, and I have an idea about a stag-and-doe.'

Esposito flopped down on the bed in front of her. 'But we've got money to cover the budget of our wedding.'

'No, I know. But it's been almost a year since you were shot and it got me thinking, instead of a stag-and-doe we should do a fundraiser for the survivor's fund of your precinct.'

'Is it any wonder I love you?' He sat up, kissed her. 'Anything you thought of in particular for it?'

'What if we did a 'care-aoke' event? It's when you have people buy their tickets for dinner and that, and the entertainment of the night is getting everyone to sing some songs,' she explained.

'You sure you have time, though?'

'If we plan it for the start of July, like right after the holiday weekend, it shouldn't be a problem. I'll start putting out some feelers on my contacts, see if I can get a celebrity guest to MC the thing.'

Esposito nodded. 'If you say you can do it, I believe you. But there'll be plenty of time for that after,' he said, getting up and dragging her with him, towards the ensuite.

'After what?'

He only wiggled his eyebrows. 'Guess.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	35. The Wedding Bands

'You sure we have time for this today, bro?' Ryan asked his partner as they climbed the stairs out of the Fifth and Fifty-Eighth subway station. 'This is the kind of decision-making that takes some time.'

'We've already done some looking at bands on the on-line store, so this is more like narrowing down choices as opposed to starting from square one. Plus, my cousin Frannie already has an idea of what we want since I bought Meredeth's ring here.'

Esposito turned the stairs, felt his heart stutter a little when he saw Meredeth already waiting for them . She looked like a fashion plate today in her early spring fashion - a powder blue trench coat with a white skirt and her soft-heeled knee-high black leather boots, and her Ralph Lauren sunglasses shielding her eyes as she texted on her iPhone. She glanced him and her smile was easy and sweet as she saw him approach.

'Hello Detective,' she said, kissing Esposito in greeting as he took her hand.

'Hello Party-Planner. How's everything going?'

'Exhausting. I spent the morning with Officer Brandt, the woman whose organizing the venue and stuff for the Care-aoke, and she told me they've sold almost two hundred tickets in a week, at fifty bucks a head, and she's anticipating there'll be double by the time we close the sales next Friday.'

'Wow, guess your idea really hit a nerve,' Ryan commented. 'A lot of the times it's just another dinner with drinks and dancing, so I think a lot of people are curious as much as anything to see what this is going to be like.'

'Either way, in between wedding stuff and promotional work for the miniseries, I've spent every other waking moments putting out tweets and emails and texts to people I've worked with on the miniseries seeing who is interested in attending.'

'Tell me Laura Harper will be there and my life is be complete. You know, aside from marrying Jenny, having a son and being good at my job.'

Meredeth laughed as they walked into Tiffany's. She remembered the first time she'd been in there - her grandmother had taken her shopping for her sixteenth birthday and bought her a Roman numerals pendant. She'd never felt more glamorous in her life as when she'd tried on that necklace, but she had a feeling today would probably top it.

They were immediately approached by Francesca - Meredeth recognized her from family photos - who pulled Meredeth in for a tight embrace. 'So good to meet you, finally! I was so sorry we didn't make down to San Juan for Easter, I hear you two had quite the time.'

'Let's just say that rum punch has a lot more kick than I remembered.'

'Ah yes, the famous Huertas plonk. Mami's abuela first made that stuff and the recipe keeps getting stronger and stronger every generation.' Looping her arm through Meredeth's she tugged her towards the counter. 'I was just absolutely bowled over when Javi emailed me about information on diamonds. I was the only person in the family he told, aside from his mother, that he was popping the question.'

'And with good reason.' Meredeth glanced down to study her ring, her jeweled flower winking in the light.

'After I sold it to him, I made a little file of things I though would compliment your rings quite well.' Ever the jeweler, Francesca picked up Meredeth's right hand, studied the engraved band she wore there. 'Who's Pablo?'

'Oh, that was Javi's one-year gift to me in October. 'Something funny Pablo' were the first words I ever said to him.'

Beneath her silk blouse, Francesca's romantic heart sighed. 'So sweet. Okay, to business.' Going straight to the display case, she pulled out samples. 'I went out on a limb and guessed you don't want a mixed look, or the yellow and white gold bands,' she ventured.

'Your limb guessed correctly.' Esposito leaned over, examined the bands. He wasn't one for jewelery but this was something he would wear with the utmost pride, his symbol of his love and commitment to the best woman a man could dream of. 'Oh, that one's good.'

'Platinum bands, smooth polish finish, very easy to have engraved.'

'Like mine.' Ryan twisted his own off his finger, held it out for his partner's inspection. He remembered going to pick it out with his wife on the first day of their honeymoon in Dublin at a charming little shop around the corner from their hotel. 'See, I had _Mo Chuisle_ done on the inside, so does Jenny's.'

'_Mo Chuisle?_'

'It means 'my darling and my blood' or more accurately 'my pulse' in Gaelic,' Meredeth said off-handedly as she studied the other options, then glanced over to see Ryan's mouth hanging open. 'What? Didn't you ever see _Million Dollar Baby?_'

'Unfortunately, if you choose this set only Javi's band could be done.' Francesca tapped her manicure on teh glass counter nervously. 'Our engraver won't do any rings three millimetres or narrower.'

Meredeth turned to Esposito. 'Is it necessary to get it engraved though? They're already going to be lo-jacked. Doesn't the whole act of wearing it carry the most promise?'

'You can always get it done for your anniversary or something,' Francesca pointed out.

'I like the idea of getting them engraved, though, it's like keeping part of that wedding vow promise with you all the time.'

'Okay, then. We'll get them engraved.' Meredeth saw the look on his face, knew this compromise was a necessary one. He knew how much he'd been working on his vows and wanted to get them absolutely right. 'Which rings both be engraved?'

'These ones, this is white gold with smooth-groove detailing five and four millimetre width respectively, and these ones, platinum with milgrain, six and four millimetre width respectively.' Francesca pointed to the other sets she's selected.

'Oh I like those, very much,' Meredeth said. 'What do you think, Javi?'

'I dig it. Not too prissy, and a little funky,' Esposito agreed.

Francesca smiled. 'This might be a little unconventional, but if you've got your song already picked out for your first dance, you could get that engraved on your rings. Joe and I have 'Truly Madly Deeply' on ours.'

Meredeth thought of the song they'd picked out, a beautiful R&B hit that suited them to T. 'For You I Will. I think that'd be great.'

'Agreed.' As Esposito had listened to the song in the car on his way to the station that morning, the lyrics were fresh in his mind. 'That'll fit on both won't it?'

'Absolutely. Okay, we've got the bands picked out, and we've already got your information on file from your engagement ring, Mere, so I just need your ring size, _primo_.' Francesca picked up her sizing tool from a drawer behind the counter, slide the band around Esposito's finger to make her notations on the file. 'Hmm, lucky girl Meredeth.'

'That's sick, _prima_, sick and wrong,' Esposito said.

'It's a compliment, Javi.'

'Not one you want to hear from your cousin, Frannie. You can bill it to my credit card, same one I used for Meredeth's engagement ring.'

'Sure thing. You doing any down payment like before?'

'No. We've got our finances for the wedding already sorted, that would just mess it up.'

Francesca nodded, knowing that her customer, particularly her cousin, was always right. She made her final notations on the file, tilted her head to the side. 'You all set, Detective Ryan?'

'Yeah, I'm good.'

Esposito turned, barely remembering Ryan had come with them. So silent had been his exit that he felt a little startled to see him standing right behind him, a dainty Tiffany-blue bag in his hands. 'What is that?'

'Birthday gift for Jenny. I wanted to get her jewelery this year, and she'd been sighing over the pendant she lost at work before she went on maternity leave, so I figured upgrade. How it go here?'

'Excellent. Got our bands picked out, got an inscription chosen, and got them paid for.'

Ryan looked impressed. 'Wow, you weren't kidding. You guys have this planning thing really well in hand. Which reminds me, I have to change the date on my tux fitting.'

'Why?'

'Appointment with Dell's pediatrician.' The lie tripped easily off of Ryan's tongue, and felt no guilt about it whatsoever since it was only to cover up planning his partner's bachelor party with Castle, and he knew that Jenny would cover for him. 'You guys good to go?'

'Everything's all set, Javi. They'll be ready for pick up on May twenty-fifth. Our engraver's got a lot on his plate, getting things ready for the slew of June weddings coming up.'

'Thanks again, Francesca.' Meredeth shook her hand, not at all surprised when Esposito's cellphone went off and he took the call, his demeanor all business. 'You guys have to go?'

'Yeah, sorry to cut this short babe. Lanie's got something for us and needs us at the morgue pronto.' He paused to give Meredeth a kiss. 'I'll call if I'm going to be late. Love you.'

'Love you too.' Meredeth watched as her beloved grilled Ryan over shopping while they were on duty and making him keep his purchase in the trunk of the car for safe-keeping before turning back to Francesca. 'Can you show me what you'd got in the way of cuff-links?'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	36. The Miniseries Debuts

_Hey Crumbs-versians! Once again we're doing a little leap forward to keep things moving, as we're moving into some big major things happening, and the wedding itself is probably going to take at LEAST 12 chapters, so we're making sure that there aren't any 'filler' chapters...this one and the next one are very important though, because it's the payoff of all Meredeth's hard work, how could I leave them out? Share the love, pass the word!_

* * *

'You hungry? You want anything to eat?'

'No, no, I'm good.'

Esposito was inclined to disagree, as she looked exactly like what she was - a big bundle of anxious, excited nerves. It was the magical Monday night she'd been sweating and waiting for - the night of her debut on CBS. Castle, who loved any excuse for a party, had decided to throw a little 'Lady Hawk' soiree, and invited everyone in the wedding party over, with the exception of Lili and Cam, who were out of town in Atlantic City on a pre-baby let's-get-outta-here minibreak and Ike Thornton who was on nights. The writer had done everything - food, liquor, even had little green napkins printed up with the Lady Hawk air-dates on them. Now, they were ten minutes away from the opening credits rolling on screen and Esposito was fairly certain before that time his lovely bride-to-be was either going to pass out or throw up.

Meredeth made her way into the living room, picked out her spot on the comfortable leather couch. Looking around, she felt a small twinge of relief as she saw everyone there because they wanted to support her: Lanie and Dave tucked up neatly on the other couch, splitting a huge bowl of popcorn, Gil sitting beside Dave while Robina sat on the floor in front of him so his elbows rested lightly on her shoulders while Castle had dragged out matching armchairs for himself and Beckett. In the seat beside Meredeth, Honey-Milk was scarfing down a BLT on toast with honey-mustard with a relish she envied. She was starving, she'd barely eaten anything all day and any time she approached the fridge her stomach began to growl as if warning her things would get ugly if she tried it.

'Hey, Mere, you want a bite?' Honey-Milk offered her plate generously; everything on it looked delicious - fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, even a couple of cheesy spinach puffs Castle knew were Meredeth's favourites. Honey-Milk gave Meredeth an arch look when her friend simply shook her head in refusal. 'You're turning down cheesy spinach things? Wow, you are a nervous wreck.'

'I want it to be good. I don't want the fans to be disappointed and I sure as hell don't want the people I love to be disappointed in me.'

'Understandable, but that's not going to happen. Right, Kevin?' she asked her husband as he wandered over and settled in on the other side of Honey-Milk.

'Right Kevin what?'

'That even if the series turns out to not be what's expected, we'll all still love Meredeth just as much as this morning.'

'Oh for sure,' Ryan agreed as he forked up soy-chicken salad. 'But that's not going to happen. This is going to be huge, you'll have Emmys and Oscars and Lulus out the ass.'

'They're called Annies,' Meredeth said with a little smile, her first one of the day. Before she could get up to go to the bathroom, splash a little cold water on her face or double check that she wasn't going to throw up, Esposito came over with two plates of food, set them both on the table before he tugged her to her feet.

'Come with me.'

Too wound up to do otherwise, she followed him to the downstairs bathroom where he shut the door and put his hands on her shoulders. 'Repeat after me. If I wasn't good enough, they wouldn't have put the work in.'

'If I wasn't good enough, they wouldn't have put the work in.'

'I have a fiance who loves me beyond reason.'

'I have a fiance who loves me beyond reason.'

'My friends think I'm the bestest.'

At this one she laughed. 'My friends think I'm the bestest.'

'Exactly.' With a hand on each of her cheeks, Esposito kissed her lightly once, then deepened it. 'If you think you're going to go off the rails in the next two hours, remember those three little phrases.'

There was a knock on the door. 'Hey lovebirds,' Castle's voice called to them. 'Credits from the last show are ending. Get out here.'

'You ready?' Esposito asked her, hanging on to her hands.

'Yeah. Let's do it.'

They found their chosen places in the living room just as the announcement came on for a CBS special event, and Meredeth felt the giant eel in her stomach begin to swim around when the opening credits credits began to roll.

_CBS Entertainment Presents...an Elevation Studios Production...Lady Hawk: Midnight is Crashing...with the voice talents of...Tory Ando...Mila Chaka...Max Green...Jonathan Groff...Laura Harper...Chance Kelly...Mercedes Rolland...Michael Spinto...and Milo Ventimiglia...Music by Andy Palmer featuring Down in Ashes..._

Then it happened. Her name_. Based on the graphic novel series by Meredeth Coleman and Kristof Schillen...Story by Meredeth Coleman...Teleplay by Meredeth Coleman and Bonnie Schaffer & Mark Upperton._

In Castle's loft, the noise was thunderous as they cheered for her, making Meredeth breathe a small sigh of relief; she could feel the writer taking over in her as she said, 'Shh, you're going to miss it!'

The group focused, silent as meditating monks as they watched Kristof's artistry moving on screen, filled with a grittiness some shows could only hope to find.

_Excuse me I'm looking for Henry Rudy's office_

_This concerns me how?_

_I'm Tabitha Stroud, his new assistant_

_Again, this concerns me how_

Meredeth leaned over to whisper something to Honey-Milk and found the nurse's hand clapped over her mouth. She swallowed back the words; they'd keep until the first commercial break. Sure enough, when the adverts for closed captioning, the room once again filled with noise.

'Meredeth, it's fantastic,' Robina breathed, leaning forward. 'I'm so proud of you, everyone's going to love it. Hell, I love it, I've been with you since you first had the idea for the books with Kristof.'

'Seriously. I hadn't read the books at all until you hooked up with Mister Sunshine, there,' Ryan added. 'I just got finished with the last one last week. This is exactly how I pictured them sounding and looking.'

'See?' Esposito pulled Meredeth down for a kiss. 'Little miss worrywart. But you wouldn't be you if you didn't stress on it. You hungry now?'

'Starving. Are there any of those cheesy spinach things left?'

Beckett smiled. 'We saved a whole tray just for you.'

* * *

By the end of the second hour, everyone was on edge for Lady Hawk as she made her way to the crime scene where she'd chosen to make her first major mark; the only sound was people eating, drinking or breathing. Meredeth herself had finally had a decent meal that day- or anything at all - and was comfortably sipping on the green punch everyone was lapping up as they watched Lady Hawk do her first major battle with drug-dealers.

_You're good, little birdie; maybe I should hire you to be my own bodyguard._

_I guard no bodies except my own._

_Sassy, too, I like that_

On screen, Lady Hawk was in a combat crouch, and used her blow-dart gun to stick the street thug in a the neck with an arrow tipped in sedatives, and as the gang-banger hit the street unconscious, the end credits began to roll. In the living room of Castle's loft, the cheers were enough to drown out the next bit of dialogue. 'Lady Hawk's definitely got some coconuts, that's for sure,' Dave commented.

Gil nodded. 'Agreed. She's strong without being a femme fatale or a bitch. Reminds me of someone I know, well mostly,' he said with a grin, kissing the top of Robina's head.

Meredeth smiled as the easy affection between her agent and Esposito's friend. They'd come a long way since the previous October when they'd first met and were trading snotty catcalls over the Yankees bullpen. They'd exchanged the 'I loves yous' shortly after Valentine's Day and TJ had even invited Gil to parents' night at his school. Not bad for two people who a year ago were ready to swear off relationships altogether.

'Oh, excuse me, I have to take this,' Robina sighed as her cellphone went off.

'And if you'll excuse me and Beckett, we have a little surprise for you,' Castle added, pointing his finger at Meredeth.

Meredeth breathed deeply, ecstatic by what she saw on screen. She'd seen it in pieces, chunks at a time, but not from start to finish like this all in one sitting. And more importantly to her, her Javi and her friends simply loved it; they were not the kind to pull their punches. They were honest, sometimes brutally so, which was how she knew their enthusiasm wasn't fake.

Esposito stood up from his spot on the floor, twisted his back to stretch it out, then tugged Meredeth to her feet once again, this time into his arms for one very hot mind melting kiss that made Meredeth forget were they were and slide her hands from his hips down to his ass, until she heard the pop of a cork.

'I'm so proud of you, Mere. I love you so much.'

'Love you too baby, and thank you for everything over the last year, putting up with my craziness in getting this done.'

'You're my Meredeth. Where else would I be?'

'Hey, hey, this is CBS, not Cinemax,' Castle joked, as he and Beckett brought in trays of filled champagne flutes, passed them around as he made a toast. 'To Meredeth. May we all see you four months from now as an Emmy-winner.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	37. The Reviews

'Meredeth.'

'Unh. Sleeping. Go away.'

'Robina's on the phone.'

From her face-down position on the bed, Meredeth blindly held out a hand and felt the weight of the house-line receiver a few seconds later. 'Someone better be dead,' she told her agent, borrowing a line from Esposito.

'No, and hold off grinding that axe until you hear me out. Guess who is the talk of the blogosphere this morning?'

'Britney Spears?'

'You my sweet. We won.'

At this Meredeth rolled over, sat up. 'What do you mean, we won?'

'As in we won, the whole goddamn freakin' night! Across the board! We were not just the highest rating for CBS or our time slot, we were _the _show of the night!'

Esposito watched Meredeth as she talked on the phone, saw her face go from sleepy confusion to alert disbelief. 'What is it?' he mouthed.

'I have a contact over at Zap 2 It and he leaked me the info this morning,' Robina continued, 'so brace yourself sweet-cheeks. We had for the whole show sixteen point three _million_ viewers with a nine-point-nine over sixteen share!'

Meredeth let out a yell. 'Are you fuckin' kidding me?'

'Would I joke about this with you? I've seen the reviews, Mere, it's beyond hit, it's a freakin' phenomenon! Your trending on Twitter right now is beyond sky-high. Mitch Whalen sent me a draft of his review this morning, and it's a love letter, it even mentions potential Emmy buzz.'

'Holy shit! This is amazing!'

'I'll let you go and celebrate with your man, but I wanted to be the first to tell you. Congrats, girl, you did it!'

Meredeth hung up the phone, then let out an ear-piercing shriek of delight; it was so loud Esposito's hand went to his hip in an automatic reach for his weapon. His concern was short-lived when Meredeth leaped out of bed and into his arms, smothering him with kisses.

'I love you I love you I _love _you!'

'Love you too, love you too, love you too. What's going on?'

Meredeth slapped her palms against his cheeks. 'We were the most watched show last night! Not just on CBS or in the time slot, but of the whole night! Sixteen point three million viewers!'

'That's my baby!' Esposito scooped her up, gave her a little spin. 'Mere, I'm so proud of you!'

'I know you have to go to work, but we are celebrating tonight!'

He flashed her a saucy grin, winked. 'Damn right we are. You bring the whipped cream, I got everything else.'

'Deal.'

* * *

Esposito made it to his desk at the precinct before he was accosted; he was surprised it took Castle that long to pounce but his delay was understood when he saw the two cups of coffee in his hand and the morning copy of _The Ledger_ tucked under his arm.

'Morning, bro,' he said with a wide grin, passing the detective the latte. 'Lotsa cream, easy on the sugar. I'll never figure out how a sweet-tooth like you drink his coffee bitter.'

'Coffee is supposed to taste bitter.'

'Fair enough.' Castle set his own cup down, then with a great flourish opened the Arts and Entertainment section of _The Ledger_. 'Lady Hawk Lords Over Tuesday Night. In a rare television surprise, the much-hyped, highly-anticipated small-screen adaptation of the popular _Lady Hawk_ graphic novel not only lived up to the critical reviews and expectations but surpassed them in viewership numbers. Television prognosticators ball-parked the ratings would land between thirteen and fourteen million during the first hour, and ten to twelve million in the second hour. They underestimated the power of the geek, as the miniseries debuted with an outstanding sixteen point three million viewers, winning not only the eight and nine pm time slots but was also the most watched show of the night, putting _Space Cowboy_ in a distant second with eleven point eight million.'

'I already heard about that,' Esposito told him, sipping his hot beverage to hide his prideful smile. 'Robina called Meredeth before I left this morning, just before Zap 2 It went to print online.'

'Meredeth must be through the roof.'

'And then some. The series means the world to her,' he started, then stopped when he saw Ryan come up, reading something off of a computer printout.

'Yo, Esposito! Have you seen this morning's _Entertainment Weekly_? Mitch Whalen is in love with your woman's work.' Ryan dutifully cleared his throat as he also began to read.

'Every so often, there is a series that you know will be good. It's like being told about the new toy everyone's wanting for Christmas. Then Christmas morning arrives and what Santa has left under the tree for you is not just good, it's the best toy you've ever played with in your life. For this reviewer (and former co-worker) of the _Lady Hawk _series last night was like Christmas morning came early. I've known Meredeth Coleman since we had our first professional writing jobs together at _Critical Condition_ some nine years ago, and remember the days when she'd be in her office drafting ideas for story lines that eventually made their way into this series. As some one who was there since its inception, you might say I'm a bit of a fan.

'While the voice cast is second to none on this television _event_-' Ryan put heavy emphasis on the word '-there is nothing today's savvy watcher can see through more clearly than shoddy writing. Such is not the case with _Lady Hawk_, as Meredeth Coleman - who co-wrote the animated series with television heavyweights Bonnie Schaffer and Mark Upperton - delivers a knockout script with characters of such depth and realistic flaws that we as an audience have no choice but to become emotionally involved. If last night's round-house kick of a debut is any measuring stick, then we should all brace ourselves for the remaining six episodes, and Meredeth should buy herself a big truckload of statue polish to keep the Emmy awards she's bound to win buffed to a high shine.'

Ryan grinned at his partner. 'Looks like you might be going Hollywood on us, bro.'

Castle nodded in silent agreement, but the silence was short lived as Beckett strolled up with Lanie, each of them glued to their cellphones.

'Whatcha doin', ladies?' Castle asked coyly.

'Reading the tweets that are trending Lady Hawk. Oh, I like this one - *Tiktokofaus says 'god bless the internet, saw the live feed here in Oz, MC rocks!' Beckett replied, scrolling through her phone.

'This one too. *SpartaChris says 'Lady Hawk is one kick ass bitch. Be proud MC, be proud!' Lanie added for good measure.

'No, this is the best, this one, *looneyspooner says 'That dude in her Tweet-pics is one lucky SOB to sleep with all the awesome of MC.'

Now Esposito popped up in his chair. 'Really?'

'Yeah, take a look.' Beckett held out her phone for inspection, where Esposito read the tweet word for word. 'I think I'll have to tie Meredeth to the chair with her belt so she doesn't float away on cloud nine. She's worked so hard on the show, I'm so proud of her and she's going to be thrilled to see this.'

Lanie's phone chirp-chirped; her pretty face split into a grin when she saw the incoming message. 'Oh she sent a tweet out herself. *LittleDaks says 'thank you one and all for all your kindness, support, and wonderful praise. *MiloVee I want my plate back.' What is this whole thing between her and MiloVee over the damned plate?'

'That's Milo Ventimiglia, one of the actors on the series. The first table read the cast had, Meredeth took vegan brownies with her and he bogarted them all, then took one of her serving platters hostage until she makes him more.'

'Look at you with the name dropping.' Castle punched Esposito in the shoulder lightly. 'Oh, by the way, Yankees-Angels game tonight. You in?'

'Nope. Celebrating.'

'Bring Meredeth along.'

'She despises the Yankees and did I mention, no? We're celebrating. Privately.'

* * *

Sure enough, when Esposito made it home that night, he bypassed the happy Arturo straight for the liquor cabinet where he got out a bottle of red wine and two glasses. The dog made a low growl at the lack of usual attention, which only made Esposito shake his head.

'Trust me, buddy, if you had a boxer-Great Dane fiancee waiting for sex upstairs, you'd be ignoring me too.'

Wine in hand he bounded up the stairs; when he got to the bedroom door he stopped short as he saw Meredeth stretched on her side in dark green lacy underwear, the promised bowl of whipped cream waiting beside her.

'Hey handsome,' she purred at him. 'Welcome home.'

'Holy shit.'

'I've got the whipped cream here.' Meredeth dipped the tip of her index finger into the bowl, licked off sweet cream all the while never taking her eyes off of his face. Dark erotic pleasure swam through her when she saw him swallowed tightly. 'What have you got for me?'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	38. The Hospital Visit A

The ER of George Washington General wasn't as crowded as Meredeth thought it would for a Saturday evening. Holding onto Esposito's hand she limped to the check-in desk, one foot already swollen and purple.

'Damn dog, why didn't I get a Border Collie who could herd his toys?'

'You love Artie and I'm sure he's very story,' he reassured her. 'Could be worse, could have been like Lili and needed six stitches in you knee from tripping over your own feet. Hey, _cunado_!'

Cam glanced up from his spot at the triage desk, smiled when he saw them; his expression changed instantly when he saw the wince on Meredeth's face. '_Cunada futura_ Merry Cherry, what happened?'

'I was carrying a basket of laundry downstairs and I slipped on one of Arturo's chew-toys, took a little tumble. I don't think it's broken but it hurts like hell.'

'Palmer, watch the desk for me will you?' Cam stood up and walked around the desk without his cane. 'Come on, I'll get you checked out.'

The sight of Cam walking independently into the examination area was enough of a distraction for Meredeth to keep the focus off of her accident while he set her up on the gurney. Being an astute sort, Cam saw where her gaze had wandered and nodded, . 'It's the shoes,' he explained, pulled up the leg of his scrub pants to show off the thickened sole of his right sneaker. 'Custom orthopedics my PT guy set me up with. Levels out my step impact so I have both hands free to do my job. Now let's take a look here.'

'Why don't you wear them all the time?' Meredeth asked as Cam's steady hands palpitated her foot.

'My PT guy got me an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon for the end of September, and he said I should walk naturally, meaning regular shoes with my cane, as often as possible. Yep, that's the spot, huh?' he said casually when he gently pressed on the swelling by Meredeth's ankle and she let out a yelp. 'You didn't break anything, just have one seriously nasty sprain with a steaming side of stretched ligaments. I'll grab some supplies, fix you up.'

After Cam had ducked out, Esposito pulled up the rolling-footed chair beside Meredeth, kissed her hand. 'Why were you doing laundry on a Saturday night? Didn't you have plans with any of the girls?'

'They all had plans, and besides you were coming in off of a long shift. I was washing linens so if you wanted to crash right away, you'd have a nice fresh bed.'

'Aw, Mere, you didn't have to do that. You've had an exhausting week yourself.'

'I know.' Meredeth settled back against the pillows as the ER doors burst open and a flurry of movement erupted, a woman's weeping mixing with the orders of a paramedic. The squeaking, sniffling sound had her sitting up like she'd been shot out of a canon. 'That's Lili.'

'What?' Panic coated Esposito's stomach as he heard the sound too.

'That's Lili, that's her crying on that gurney the paramedics just brought in.' Meredeth swung her feet over to the side. 'Pass me my sandals.'

'Mere-' Esposito started to protest, then shut his mouth as an ashen-faced Cam came back in. He was a soldier, an Iraq war veteran with three tours of duty under his belt and a Commendation Medal to prove he was no sissy, so it had to be something truly awful to put that look on his face.

'Lili was just brought in. She started hemorrhaging at home. Umm, here, let me.' Cam went to tend to Meredeth's foot but Esposito grabbed his hand instead.

'Cameron, go be with your wife. I'm sure there's someone else here who can take care of us. Lili needs you,' he said, but Cam shook his head. 'Cam?'

'They don't want me in there until she's stabilized, so I am going to wrap my sister in law's foot here, so I won't wonder whether or not my wife is losing our baby .' Cam took a steadying breath, blocked everything out but his task and wrapped the ice-gels with the tensile bandages 'Ice for six to eight hours, don't wrap it over night, then alternate hot and cold on it, and walk as normally as possible so the ligaments don't freeze up and shorten.'

He stripped off his gloves, tossed them in the bin. 'I have to go.'

Meredeth watched Cam leave, felt her lower lip tremble. 'Javi,' was all she said, and he hopped up on the gurney beside her.

'They'll be fine, Mere. They both will.' He gripped her hand tightly. 'Lili's a fighter, just like you.'

'We need to get her things, her bags, from their apartment. They're all in the nursery.'

'Yeah. You stay here with Cameron, make sure he stays on the level. I'll make a few phone calls.'

* * *

Two hours later, Esposito came back to GW General, Lili's bags in hand as well as a few things for Cam and Meredeth. The nurse at the reception desk directed him to the maternity ward, where he was once again redirected to his sister's room. He walked in, felt his heart do a tap-dance of anxiety as he saw Lili, pale and sweaty, propped in a bed, her bump looking huge under the sheets.

'Hey _hermano_,' she said to him in a very non-Lili voice. 'Thanks for getting my things for me.'

'Of course, Lucita. What do the doctors say?'

'They've stopped the bleeding, but I'm still having contractions. I'm at thirty-six weeks so if the baby's born within the next twenty four hours, she won't be considered a preemie, but they're concerned about my blood-loss and my blood pressure, so they may have to fully put me out and do a C-section.'

'What could have triggered this, Cam?' Meredeth held Lili's hand tightly.

'More than anything stress,' Cam started to explain, then let out a shuddering breath. 'My mother would be the culprit of that.'

'Why, what happened?'

Cam balled his hands into fists at his sides. 'Last week, I got a text from a random number that said 'This is April. Call me.' So I figured it was some kind of telemarketing scam. Then I got another one that said 'Hi, Cam, I'm Darla, just saying what's up.' So I called them back, and it turns out they got my cell number from my mother. She'd been giving it out to single white daughters of women in her society club.'

'She doesn't get it,' Lili spat bitterly. 'I am Cameron's wife. We're having a baby. The last nine months of our lives should have been joyfully excitement over our daughter arriving, and all it's been is one big problem after another. Oh God.' She thumped her head back against her pillows. 'Javi, I want Mami, I want her here.'

'I called, she should be here any moment. Papa's supposed to be in San Juan until tomorrow, but she called him, she's going to get him an earlier flight back.'

'Meredeth, can I talk to you in the hallway? Actually, both of you?' Cam kissed Lili's forehead. 'I'll be right outside, love.'

When they were there, Cam looked both of them in the eye. 'I called my mother, told her what was going on, and she said it wasn't her problem and I'd get no help from her for not listening. That being said, I can't shake the feeling that she will show up here and try to cause problems. I need you two to stay out here, one at a time if you like, and make sure my mother doesn't show her face in there. If that happens, I might be burying my daughter instead of taking her home to the West Village.'

'Consider it done.'

Cam nodded briskly, then went back into Lili's room while out in the hallway Meredeth groaned in frustration. She dropped into the chair across from Lili's door, keeping her foot stuck out at an awkward angle. 'I should have done more,' she said, half to herself. 'I shouldn't...I could have done so much more to help her.'

'Meredeth, you're allowed to be self-involved when you're planning a wedding. And you were working on the miniseries too, don't forget.'

'But I still had lots of time on my hands, time I could have stayed overnights with her when you were working. It's not that far from Chelsea to the West Village-'

'Mami.'

Meredeth's panic was cut off in mid-sentence when Esposito rose from his chair, caught his mother in a fierce embrace. Rosalita's face, normally warm and smiling, was set in lines of deep worry, the way only a parent could worry about their child.

'How is she?'

'She's stopped bleeding but she's scared,' he told her. He saw the panic in her eyes, and as quickly as it flashed in, it was replaced with steel as she adjust her purse strap on her shoulder.

'My Lucita Lourdes is a tough woman. She will be fine and so will my granddaughter,' she declared in a soft but firm voice. With a resolve Meredeth had to admire, she pushed open the door of her daughter's hospital room, speaking in hushed but steady tones.

Esposito watched as the door to the suite swung shut. 'And now we wait.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	39. The Hospital Visit B

Though it was barely two hours since Lili had been brought in, time passed slowly. Esposito and Meredeth took turns along with Cam and Rosalita sitting with Lili. The expectant mother was given every type of drug possible to help slow the contractions but to no avail - the littlest Esposito was determined to fight her way into the world very shortly.

Esposito, remembering what Honey-Milk had gone through, brought her ice chips and breathed with her through the contractions, massaged her legs and feet and discreetly stepped out when Doctor Harvey, a former classmate of Honey-Milk obstetrician Krishner, lifted the sheets for a quick pelvic exam. He breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw Meredeth with the tray of take-away coffee cups.

'You're a saint.'

'Actually, it was that nurse over there, Naomi? She's one of the women who works with Cam on trauma cases where pregnant women are injured. She was heading down to the cafeteria on her break and brought us up a tray.'

'Remind me when this is done to send her a bag of Starbucks beans.'

Meredeth chuckled, drank the scalding hot liquid down. It tasted like feet dipped in melted ice cream but it was hot and chock full of caffeine. 'If I start sparking,' she said after another sip, 'chalk it up to nerves and caffeine. This stuff tastes truly terrible.'

'Now you know why Ryan and I turn into little boys when you pack our lunch-kits for overnight surveillance details. You make us things like fresh brewed iced tea with scratch-made syrup, or hot chocolate that's more than boiling water and instant powder.'

'I think I get it now, the good cook thing.' Meredeth wrinkled her nose, but drank more coffee anyways. It was a flavour she'd never been able to figure out why her man loved so much. Maybe it was just an ingrained thing - cops were programmed to drink coffee. 'Seriously, how do you drink this?'

'Remember Castle got us that four-digit espresso maker for the station and we get our beans from Starbucks. Trying to compare that with this swill is like comparing McNuggets to chicken Cordon Bleu.' Esposito glanced up as Lili's door opened and Rosalita poked her head out. 'Mami?'

'Your sister wants to see you.'

Esposito kissed his fiancee, tossed his cup in the trash before he went in, leaving Meredeth to stand guard in the hallways against Felicity the She-Wolf. Popping in a bud so she had one ear free to listen for approaching footsteps Meredeth turned on her audiobook copy of _The Island of Doctor Moreau_. As the narrator described an encounter with the humanoid manservant M'Ling, the hallway suddenly filled with the echo of stiletto heels on tile. Pausing, Meredeth glanced up and felt her teeth go on edge instantaneously.

The woman was tall and ash blond, and dressed in a violet suit more characteristic of a boardroom meeting than a visit to the baby-and-mommy ward of a hospital. Her hair was sleekly styled in a French roll, showing off excellent plastic surgery that kept her face wrinkle free even though it was obvious the woman was at least fifty-five, maybe even sixty. Her nails were ruthless glossy red, like she'd taken a swipe at someone's throat and had yet to wipe her hands and when she opened her mouth - painted the same murderous red - a thin but melodious voice spoke in crisp, pointed tones.

'Excuse me, I'm looking for Lili George-Esposito's room? I'm her mother-in-law.'

The nurse pointed her in the direction of Lili's room and Meredeth put away her phone, stood up in the woman's path. 'Excuse me, Mrs. George? I'm Meredeth, Lili's sister-in-law. She and Cameron have asked that you not be allowed in.'

Felicity George blinked her muddy green eyes. 'Excuse me?'

'Cameron and Lili gave me specific instructions that you not come into the birthing room.'

'Young lady, I don't know who you think you are but you will step aside so I may see my daughter-in-law.'

'Why?' Meredeth could feel her temper starting to glow red-hot; she didn't like making snap decisions based on gossip, but thirty seconds with this woman and she was more than happy to make an exception. 'So you can do even more to try and kill that baby and break up your son's marriage? Calling Lili an opportunistic slut wasn't enough, you're going to be in the room for the birth and try to tell her she lost the baby?'

'I need to speak with my son, and if you don't move out of my way, I'll call security.'

'Try it, Mom.'

Meredeth glanced over, saw Cam's face ashen once again as he saw his mother standing by the door in all her coiffured and evil glory. His jaw was so tight, the muscles were jumping as his green eyes went stony. He crossed his arms over his chest, and despite being about three inches shorter than his mother all but loomed over her.

'Cameron, oh, sweetheart, I was so worried, I just had to come down here,' Felicity said, pressing a hand to her heart. 'I was hoping you would have a little time for me, I just feel so awful about what I said over the phone.'

'No you didn't. Why are you really here?'

Felicity at least had the humility to fidget a little, or pretend to, as she reached into her purse; she came out with a small sheaf of paper and put a plea in her voice. 'It's not too late, Cameron. You can still sign the papers I had drawn up for you. Lili will get a nice little settlement, and you won't have to worry about a thing, because the papers will disavow you of any legal or financial responsibility to the foetus. Think about it, you'll have a chance at a real marriage with a nice girl.'

'If you need me to go through the list again, Mom, I will.' Cam began ticking the points off on his fingers. 'Lili has a degree in economics from Vassar, another one from Cornell in hotel management. She goes to church every Sunday where she leads the children's choir, and the first time we made love was our wedding night, which also happened to be the first time she had sex. She was there for me every step of the way during my recovery when I was shipped home from Iraq with a quarter pound of shrapnel in my kneecap, and I've been there for her while you've gas-lighted her over her pregnancy at every possible turn. And you think a woman of her beauty and intelligence and moral character holds a candle to those cougars-in-training in your little society club? They're not even in the same league as her.'

'Cameron, I get it, everyone goes through a phase where they think one ethnicity is just the living end. But the difference is responsible mature adults grow out of it. Now, do you have a pen or would you like mine so I can take these forms to my lawyer at Finch and Barrymore?'

'Who the hell are you?' The words were out of Meredeth's mouth before she could stop herself. 'What gives you the right to think you can break up your son's marriage to Lili? Especially when he's probably minutes away from being a father?'

'This is between me and my son. It doesn't concern white trash like you, _dear_,' Felicity sneered.

'Hey!'

All three looked over to see Esposito standing in the door to Lili's suite, eyes just as deadly as Cam's. 'My sister is not a slut, and my fiancee is not white trash.'

'Ah, yes, the cop. I remember you from the wedding.' Felicity flicked her hand at him. 'This doesn't concern you, Chico.'

'The hell it doesn't. When I see my sister, who wanted nothing more in this world than to make a baby with her husband, lying in a hospital bed and bleeding because _you_ are causing her so many emotional problems, it fucking concerns me.'

Felicity looked at her son. 'Is this how I raised you, Cameron? To run around with people like this? With people who would speak to your mother that way?'

'You'll be hearing from my lawyer soon, Mom. I don't want you anywhere near my daughter, and if you think you'll get at me by cutting me off from George money, just remember that trust-fund you like to hang over my head, or rather what you didn't waste before I turned eighteen? That was from Dad to me, so you can't touch one red cent of it.' Cam breathed deeply. 'It would be best if you left now.'

'Fine.' The woman looked at the three guardians of the baby-gate and sniffed. 'You want to ruin your life like this, don't expect me to help when things get ugly. Your father would be ashamed of you, Cameron.'

With that she turned on her heel, stalked haughtily back to the elevator bank, leaving Cameron to fume. Just as Meredeth opened her mouth, Cameron held up his hand. 'Lili's what important right now.' He turned to them, and to Esposito's utter shock, his eyes were shining with tears. 'They got the results of the test back. There's a small rupture, so they're going to put Lili under and get the baby out safely. I came out here to tell you guys so you can wish her good luck.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	40. The Hospital Visit C

Meredeth clutched Esposito hand tightly as they went in Lili's room, and Esposito felt his heart stop as he saw Lili lying in the bed on her side, her arm protectively around her stomach as the doctors unclipped her IV bags, her good hand clutching her mother's.

'Mami, I love you, I'm so scared,' she murmured in Spanish, as Rosalita brushed loose black curls of hair back from her baby girl's face.

'I know, honey, I know, but the doctors wouldn't do this if they didn't think it was right, and Cam and I will be right there with you.' Rosalita glanced up, and Esposito nearly lost it when he saw the tears stains on his mother's face. 'Your brother and Meredeth are here.'

Meredeth bent over, kissed Lili's cheek. 'You'll do just fine, darling. We'll see you and your baby girl in a little while, okay? You're going to need a professional to help you give her the best name a little princess could ask for.'

She straightened, swiped her hand under her nose as she watched Esposito grab his sister's hand, speak to her in their mother tongue.

'You are going to get through this, Lucita.'

'If something happens to me, will you name the baby Liliana? Please?'

'Lili, don't think like that-'

'Promise me.'

Esposito clenched his eyes shut. 'Okay. Liliana, for you, but like Mere said, you two are going to pick out a great name in a few hours.' He kissed her hand, saw the nurse unlock the feet of her bed. 'I love you, sis.'

'Love you too, bro.'

Esposito stayed in the room as Lili was wheeled out with Rosalita and Cam on either side of the bed. He stared hard at the space his sister had just vacated, as his vision began to blur. Before he knew it, he was sobbing into his hands, grinding the heels of them into his eyes.

'Oh Javi.' Meredeth let her purse drop to the floor, crouched to wrap her arms around his shaking body. 'It's okay, my love, she's going to get through this.'

'A hundred things could go wrong.' Esposito gripped Meredeth's arms tightly. 'What if-'

'No.' It was almost a growl, as Meredeth took his face in her hands, stared hard into his eyes. 'We're not thinking those things. Lili is your sister and we love her and we will not sing the 'what if' song while she is still healthy and stable. You hear me?'

Esposito nodded, tried to steady himself. 'Do you mind...I'd really like to go down to the chapel right now.'

'Of course, baby. Anything.'

They left word with Naomi the Nurse on where they could be found if there was any news to report. On the elevator ride down, until they came to the doors of the chapel, Esposito never let Meredeth's hand go, just readjusted his hold on her fingers. It was a small room, eight pews on each side with stained glass depicting different religions from around the world so whoever was in need of spiritual guidance could find solace within those walls.

Meredeth watched as her fiance dipped his hand in the holy water, crossed himself before going to the front most pews. She'd never understood organized religion with all its contradictory rules about what was and wasn't good behaviour, and why other religions weren't as good as the one you'd chosen, but she did understand the need to believe in a higher power and that somehow the universe sorted itself out. It was a belief she'd discovered in therapy at the age of twelve after her mother had died and it was one she'd stuck to throughout her entire adult life, but the true gravity of it hadn't hit her until she'd seen Lili lying in that bed, so tiny and doll-like and afraid.

Walking up to him, she sat beside him but said nothing. She wouldn't fill the heavy void with Kool-Aid words right now; if he wanted to talk, he would.

Esposito inhaled deeply, smelling that scent of Meredeth beside him. It was the only thing keeping him from losing his mind, because after Meredeth, the woman who meant the most to him in the world was his sister. Lili had always been there for him, teasing him and joking about his lack of success with women, always telling him after a break-up he was too good for them and that he'd meet the right one. When he'd first mentioned Meredeth to her - he told her they had to break plans for dinner because he was going to Meredeth's to eat pizza and watch the hockey game - she just knew there was something extra special about her. The first time they'd met, at the San Gabriel Ladies' Auxiliary Thanksgiving Lunch, Lili had thrown his beloved into a hammerlock of a hug and called her _cunada futura_ 'future sister-in-law' five minutes after meeting her in the flesh, then defended her against the whorish Valencia.

'Mere.'

'Yes, Javi.'

'I know it's not your thing, but you are a writer. Think you can use that clever tongue to convince the Almighty not to let my sister hemorrhage out before she can be a mother?'

'I'll give it a try.'

He lowered the padded kneeling rail, kissed the little gold cross - a Christmas gift from Lili - he always wore under his shirt before he crossed himself and Meredeth began to speak.

'Heavenly Father, we've come to this place of worship seeking your guidance. There is a woman in this hospital, Lucita Lourdes Maria George-Esposito, who is in need of help greater than any medicine. She is about to give birth to her first child and she is scared and in pain. Please watch over her and her husband Cameron and their little girl, make them strong so they can stay here with us, so we can show them what it means to love your family.'

'In the name of the father, son and holy ghost, amen.' Esposito blessed himself once again, then sat back on the bench. 'That was exactly right, Mere.'

'When I pray, I find it works best to keep it simple, from the heart. Less confusion that way. Did I leave anything important out?'

'No, I think you got it all.'

They sat there, staring at nothing in particular, for what felt like an eternity until they heard the door open softly behind them. They turned, saw Harvey standing there with a sober look on his face.

'You're Lili George-Esposito's family?'

'Yes.' With a fist of ice clenching his gut, Esposito rose and walked back to face the news, Meredeth going with him. 'How is she?'

'Mother and baby are doing just fine. It was touch and go for the first few minutes, as the cord was around the baby's neck but she is breathing on her own and she's a healthy size, seven pounds two ounces. Lili did have a small rupture, but thankfully we caught it in time before it became something seriously life threatening.'

'Can she still have babies?' Meredeth asked, her breath whooshing out when Harvey nodded.

'Absolutely. She'll need to stay in the hospital for five or six days, to make sure her incision heals but there isn't any reason you can't visit her shortly.'

'Thank you, Doctor, really for everything.' Esposito pumped the man's hand feverishly, then turned to Meredeth, wrapped her up in a bone-crushing hug. 'She's okay.'

'Yeah, she is.'

Esposito took her face in his hands, began to really kiss her before he remembered where they were. 'Guess this isn't the best place for that, huh?'

'No. Even I know that.''

'Come on, peg-leg.'

* * *

They made their way back up to Lili's room, crept in quietly where they saw Lili was resting quietly, while Cam stared in wonder at the little life in the bassinet, talking to his daughter about being in the armed forces.

'And if you want to be in the Navy, that's okay too. Just promise me you won't get stationed at Pearl Harbour. Actually, that's okay, because Mommy would really like an excuse to go there,' he said, tracing his fingertip over his daughter's cheek; when Esposito cleared his throat, he glanced up and grinned. 'You've got your first visitors. Uncle Javi and Auntie Meredeth are here.'

Esposito went closer, felt his heart melt just as it had when he'd seen little Dell Ryan in his new bed. She was dozing so he couldn't tell if she had Lili's big brown peepers or Cam's bottle green ones. But she did have Cam's button nose and her mother's dark fuzzy hair peeking out from under a pink polka-dot baby toque. 'She's gorgeous.'

'Now I have a princess to go with my queen,' Cam murmured, standing up to brush his hand over Lili's forehead. 'Sweetie, Javi and Meredeth are here.'

'Oh?' Lili blinked, winced a little at the discomfort in her midriff. 'Oh, good. Meredeth, I have a very important question for you. What was your mother's name? I was blanking on it earlier.'

'My mother? Freja Dakkars, why?'

Lili smiled at Cam, held out her arms for her baby girl. 'We wanted to name her after Cam's mother and my mother but since Felicity is no longer welcome in our lives, we wanted to name her after your mother since you're part of the Esposito family now, or will officially be soon. So I'd like to introduce you to Rosita Freja Mariana George-Esposito.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	41. The Getaway

'Mere, let's go!'

'I'm going! Unless you care to give me a hand with our ninety-five pound dog!'

Esposito rolled his eyes. New York traffic on Fridays was always a bitch, with all the commuters getting the hell out of Dodge, but Friday afternoons of holiday weekends...there were some times when Esposito thought an alien probe would be more fun. He jogged up the stairs to the door, saw Meredeth tugging Arturo along on his leash, the boxer-Great Dane having parked his ass on the floor and was literally being dragged by his collar.

'Artie, I love you, but knock it off! It's a car ride, you like the car.'

'Well, to be fair, the last time he was in the car was when you took him to the vet's about that pen cap, can you blame him for being a little gun-shy?'

Meredeth glared at her fiance. 'Oh, of course, men stick together huh?'

'Can you still call Artie a man after you chopped him off?'

'Well let's see,' She glanced down at the honey-brown dog who was acting like a spoiled toddler. 'He's stubborn, he thinks he can get his own way all the time and his aim when he pees is terrible.'

'Hey Mere.'

'What?' Having lost most of her patience, she all but snarled it, not too thrilled when she saw Esposito trying to keep from laughing.

'You know how hot you are when you're pissed off?' Esposito stepped over to kiss his sputtering fiance square on the lips as Meredeth gulped like a guppy. 'Sorry, baby, but it's true. You look so sexy when you're revved up. Come on, you, before she decides to chop me off too,' he told the guilty-looking dog.

They loaded Arturo into the car, and despite the set-back made it out of the city in relatively good time - it was only eight pm when they made it out to Castle's place in the Hamptons.

Meredeth squinted in the twilight, bit her lip. 'Damn, looks like they've gone out.'

'Actually they're not coming.'

'What?'

Esposito shut the engine of the Nissan off, popped the trunk. 'It's just us this weekend. Castle's taking Alexis out for a New York night on the town her first weekend back after exams, and he said if we wanted we could use his place.'

'Remind me to send him a very large case of Chateau Neuf de Pape.'

'He said we could have Lili and Cam up, or Robina and Gil, but I want some time just us. You've been working around the clock between the wedding, the charity thing and the miniseries, you deserve a break. Plus there's the added bonus of more water sports,' he added with a wiggle of the eyebrows.

Meredeth smiled. She'd been thinking the same thing, mentally planning a little trip down to Atlantic City or something like that to just take a break from it, but knew he was trying to fit in as many hours as he could so that the three weeks they were spending on their honey-moon would go over smoothly when he put in for the time. Not to mention she knew Castle and the boys were planning some sort of wicked debauchery for his last weekend as a single man; Honey-Milk being her mole on that front had overheard words like 'Vegas' 'fight night' and 'VIP suite'. She could only imagine what they were up to, or what her girls were planning for her, for that matter.

'Meredeth? Earth to Merry Cherry?'

'Hmm?'

'I said why don't we get this stuff inside, then head into town. Castle said there's a twenty-four hour grocery store about fifteen minutes away.'

Meredeth considered him in the porch light, saw the ripple of his biceps as he hauled up the suitcases, the glint of his chain peeking out from under his collar, and all but licked her lips. 'It's twenty-four hours, it can wait.'

'Oh?' Esposito glanced over, saw the little half-smile on her face. 'Oh, yeah, I think it can wait.'

* * *

Esposito lay naked in the master bedroom bed, drumming his fingers on his stomach as he stared at the ceiling. It was a near-perfect start to the weekend - after they'd gotten their things inside and christened the bedroom floor, they'd showered and hit the twenty-four hour market to pick up food for the remaining three days, then returned to the house for late-night barbecue - steak on toasted garlic ciabatta, kebab veggies and creamsicle shakes with a kick of peach schnapps. They'd waded in for a late-night skinny dip, splashing around like horny teenagers, until Meredeth told him she had a little surprise for him in the house.

When she came out of the shower, naked and toweling her hair off, Esposito took a moment to just look at her body. No, she wasn't model-skinny, but who wanted that? Her skin was smooth and soft as silk, and she had freckles dotted in the most interested places, including some very naughty ones. There was the surgical scar on her belly that reminded him she'd had her appendix out as a young woman, and her tattoo that covered some of it up stood out in stark contrast to the creamy milk-and-honey hue of her flesh. And she was all his.

'So what's this surprise, Mere?' he asked casually.

Meredeth said nothing, just reached into her suitcase and pulled out a magazine roughly the size of a _Reader's Digest_, then flopped down on the bed as she passed it to him. 'I thought we might like to try this.'

'_Dear Diary?_' Esposito looked at the cover, saw a busty model half-dressed as a sexy school girl as she nibbled on the end of a pencil, then back at Meredeth.

'It's basically like _Penthouse_ only a little classier and way hotter. I thought we could use it as a different kind of bed-time story. I know how much you like those.'

'I do,' he murmured. Meredeth had bought him porn, or rather, bought them porn to share as part of the toy-box. He looked at her, felt the smile creep across his face. 'I think you just won the best fiancee in the universe prize.'

'I read through a few of them, and I think you'll like this one the best.' Meredeth took the magazine, flipped through it until she came to the appropriate naughty fantasy. 'Yes, this one, in the middle of the page.'

'_Dear Diary. I thought when the police hauled me in for questioning over my dead boyfriend, I would be going to jail. Instead I had the hottest night of my life with one very fine looking cop_.' Esposito glanced up at Meredeth, who'd gotten the glint in his eye. 'Did you send this in?'

'Believe it or not, no. It was just lucky circumstance this particular issue had a 'police interrogation gets hot' story.'

'Uh-huh. So am I reading this one to you, or you to me?'

'Flip a coin?'

'Tails you read, heads I read.'

Meredeth snagged a quarter off of the nightstand, tossed it so it landed on the bed. 'It's all you, big guy.'

* * *

The next morning, Meredeth awoke feeling refreshed from good sex and a decent night's sleep, the first one she'd gotten in almost six weeks. At least now she didn't wake in the middle of the night screaming her lungs out. But then again, if she did, she had her cop there to help her through it.

Her cop, the cuddly sleeper; it never failed to turn her heart into a puddle. From the very first time she'd woken up with him to this morning, rare was the morning when she'd didn't wake up to find his arm wrapped protectively around her waist as he snored softly. The contradiction of it turned her insides gooey as she turned toward him so they were face to face. He looked so peaceful, so relaxed when he slept. Though he smiled and laughed with her, there was always that look in his eyes that was all cop; it only seemed to shut off when he was out for the count. She brushed her fingers over his cheek, murmuring, 'Not such a tough guy, are you?'

He shifted, rolled onto his back clenching his eyes before they popped open; as his arm was still around her, she was now sprawled on his chest and watching him wake. 'Morning. You been up long?'

'Barely three minutes.'

'What time is it?'

'Just after eight.'

'Kay.' Esposito closed his eyes again, rolled back to his side, keeping her close. It was the best feeling in the world, waking up with her, that busy brain finally at a resting pace. He pressed his palm between her shoulder blades . 'What's the plan for today?'

'Whatever we want. Conquer cancer, find Jimmy Hoffa, end the Pepsi-Coke feud.'

'Let's start with coffee, and breakfast.'

'You got it. I'm going to go let Arturo out for his morning announcements.'

She went to get up, found herself pinned down by his arm, then by him which made her laugh. 'You want to spend a gorgeous day like today fooling around in bed?'

'Who wouldn't? But I see your point.' He kissed her with a loud smacking sound before he kicked back the sheets, looked around for his shaving kit. 'Plenty of time for that when the sun goes down, or outside.'

He sent her a wink before strolling out of the room. Meredeth watched him go, grinned foolishly as she went to brush her teeth. If this was any kind of preview for what their honey-moon would be like, August thirty-first couldn't get here fast enough.

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	42. The Bridal Shower

Lanie shoulder her purse as she rode up the elevator of Lili's apartment building with Meredeth and tried not to smile. It was one of her favourite contradictions - Meredeth was one of the most intuitive people she knew, even sometimes moreso than Castle was, yet for all her self-awareness and ability to size up people or a situation, the girl was one of the easiest suckers to plan a surprise party for. Maybe it was because she'd been on her own for a long time and was still getting used to the idea that people in her life wanted to do things like that for her. Or maybe Meredeth really was just the owner of a big blind spot that way.

Either way, Meredeth simply took her silence for fatigue as they stepped off on the fourth floor and made their way to Lili and Cam's apartment.

'Lanie, if you're tired, you didn't have to come with me. I know you've been working a lot of overtime lately.'

'I want to see that beautiful new baby. How old is she now?'

'Three weeks. She was born on the Saturday night right after the premiere of the miniseries. Just a few weeks before her daddy's birthday. I'm so excited, I haven't gotten to hold her since the hospital.'

Lanie smiled at her friend's innocence, as they reached door four-twelve. 'Lili mind if we just go right in?'

'Not at all. I texted her when we got off the subway and she said she'd unlock the door for us.' Meredeth gripped the knob, shoved the door open.

'Surprise!'

Meredeth stopped in her tracks as she saw the crowd of women under the banner that read 'Happy Wedding Meredeth!'. The room was decorated with crepe streamers in the wedding colours of green and yellow and pink and coral, while on the kitchen table was a platter of fresh fruit and dip, pretzels, mini wontons, salad, chicken wings and rolls, and cupcakes to match the decoration colours. Amongst the women, too, was even a greater surprise - not only were the usual suspects like Honey-Milk and Beckett, but also Sloan Machado, Alexis Castle, and Chin and Anna from California.

'Oh my god!' Meredeth pressed her hands to her mouth, started to laugh. 'I can't believe I had no idea about this!'

'Well you have been pretty distracted with your own life and helping Cam out with me and Rosie,' Lili said, gently hugged her; despite having had her stitches out for a week, her stomach was still pretty tender. 'Not too hard to plan around you.'

'Out of my way, I wanna see that rock.' With a subtle nudge Chin elbowed Lili out of the way, grabbed Meredeth's hand to examine her ring and whistled. 'Damn your music-man's got good taste. You need a drink, then game time. Annie! Our girl needs a bevvie!'

Meredeth could only shake her head as Anne politely excused herself from the conversation to fix Meredeth a cocktail. Despite the fact they'd been friends since college, it never failed to amuse her how polar opposite these two women were. Natalia 'Chin' Fedochinski was Korean by birth and adopted by Polish Jews; she almost needed a phone-book booster seat so she didn't look like a child sitting at the grown-ups table, and had made up for her lack of height with a personality brassy and fun as a jazz band. Anna on the other hand, was tall, taller than Meredeth even, white as icing sugar with round grey eyes and a whisper of a voice she rarely raised beyond a murmur that belied a will of iron. They'd met in their first media theory seminar and had become an inseparable unit for the following seven years until Anna moved to San Francisco to teach at a private arts college and Chin found her calling working in the AFI's west coast archive library in Los Angeles.

'Here you are.' Anna strolled up with a spiked cranberry juice for the guest of honour. 'Christine sends her love and a gift.'

'She couldn't make it out?'

Anna shook her head. 'She's putting the finishing touches on _Sunset Number Four_ so it'll be ready for submission to the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. But she will be here for the wedding.'

'Excellent. Tell her I loved her editing job on _Las Picaduras_ even if it was disgusting and bloody.'

'Will do. I think we're going to start some games now,' Anna commented as she saw the women arranging themselves around the table and Lanie handing out some kind of cards.

'Oh, good God. If it's anything like the pre-bachelorette party games we played at Marty and Teeny, this should be quite the bridal shower.'

* * *

The afternoon was spent snacking on the treats provided from Rosalita's home kitchen and bakery as they played Bridal Bingo, First Times, even a spirited round of Never Have I Ever; the last was a little on the cheek-pinking side as some naughty stories slipped out, including one from Alexis who admitted she'd drunkenly made out with a strange boy at her going away party the night before she flew home. Compared to some of the other things the women mentioned doing with their boyfriends or husbands it was tame, but considering the source and that Alexis was some kind of super-teen, it was still a little surprising.

Finally after the last round had been played, they moved on to presents, with Lanie keeping track of the cards and the gifts. Amongst some of the items were a beautiful set of cashmere bath towels, a new waffle iron, a gift certificate for his and her massages, a leather bound wedding photo album, and a sensual cookbook; Meredeth smiled as Lanie passed her a basket covered in pink and green gift wrap.

'To Auntie Merry lots of hugs and kisses, Rosie,' Meredeth read on the tag. 'Aw, tell Rosie thanks.'

Lili smiled from her spot on the couch, then stood up when she heard her daughter fussing through the baby monitor. 'Guess she heard you and wants to come give you hugs and kisses in person.'

Meredeth shook her head as she tore away the wrappings, then blushed crimson red as the other women oohed like they were on a bad nineties sitcom. THe newborn, it seemed, had the idea to put together a honey-moon basket - bath oils, a little jar of chocolate sauce, a bottle of champagne and two flutes, a fully-illustrated copy of the Kama Sutra, and of course, a variety pack of the novelty condoms that had been in the coffee-cup Ryan and Castle had given to Esposito. 'Well, looks like we're all set for day one of married life,' she joked, making the other women laugh, then glanced up as Lili brought in the baby, wrapped in her pink elephants blanket.

'Has Rosie been using Daddy's credit card on stag-shop dot com?' Meredeth asked, shaking the box of condoms questioningly, making Lili laugh.

'We were chatting after her midnight snack one night and she said that she thought you two should have as much fun practicing to give her a cousin.'

'Rosie.' Meredeth leaned over, gave her niece a light bump on the nose. 'That's very dirty thinking for such a young lady.'

Rosie yawned, blinked before she rubbed her little knuckles over her nose. Her dark green eyes were round as saucers as she looked up at Meredeth, then scrunched shut when she smelled mommy nearby and began to whimper.

'Oh, dear there's the dinner bell, I know. You don't mind...?' Lili looked around the room.

'Go ahead,' Beckett said, gesturing with her glass.

'Nothing we don't see in the shower every day,' Lanie added. 'Have at it.'

'Thanks.' Lili unfastened her maternity shirt, adjusted Rosie so she could nurse her. 'There, my girl. Snack time in the George-Eposito house.'

Meredeth smiled, relieved to see Lili so relaxed. The hell of her pregnancy and dealing with her mother in law had sucked a lot of the joy of being a first-time mother out of the experience, but this part Lili had dove into with great relish and was doing a great job so far. For a moment, watching her soon-to-be sister-in-law with the little one, she wondered what it'd be like when she had her first baby with Esposito, if she'd slide into that motherhood role so well.

'Here, Meredeth, this one's from me.' Lanie passed her a box wrapped in navy blue and gold striped paper. 'I remembered a little comment you made at your pre-bachelorette party, thought this might be a step in the right direction.'

Meredeth ripped off the paper, lifted the lid and felt the blush when she'd opened 'Rosie's' gift stay in place. 'Oh my...how did you remember that? You'd been into the bottle as much as I was!'

'What is it?' Honey-Milk craned her neck to see the contents of the parcel.

'This.'

Meredeth folded back the tissue paper, drew out the body-hugging merry-widow made of navy blue silk meant to look like a police uniform, with its matching lacy panties and garter threaded through with gold ribbon. Upon closer inspection she could see the printing on the ribbon was the same number over and over - 41023, Esposito's badge number. Underneath was a camel-coloured trench coat and in the pockets, Meredeth discovered were satin-covered toy handcuffs in matching navy blue.

'I figured if you couldn't go through with it for real, you could have a little fun in the bedroom at home,' Lanie said with a knowing smile.

Meredeth folded the lingerie back into the box, looked at her maid of honour. 'I can't wait to find out what you've got planned for the actual bachelorette party.'

'It's gonna be fun.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	43. The Little Things

It was, in Lanie's mind completely self-indulgent but Meredeth had been an atypical bride so far, and had to be reminded that going to Moira's Mane Events for a trial run of her wedding day hairstyle with Lanie wouldn't make her a Bride-zilla. After Lanie had a quick power-down after being on nights for eight days straight, she was more than ready to get her pampered-diva style on and to her way of thinking, getting the hair-do done right was the number one way to feel like a movie star. As the one stylist, Damon, worked on her follicles, Lanie glanced over to see a totally blissed out Meredeth under the goofy-looking round dryer.

'See, these are one of the perks of having a small wedding. Means money you'd spend pleasing everyone else can be spent on making the bride and groom feel good.'

'Damn right.' Meredeth sighed as the warm water beat down on her head. 'God there is nothing like that salon polished feeling, is there?'

'Can't hear you on my happy little island of organic shampoo and almond oil bliss.'

'If you can't hear me, how can you talk back to say you can't hear me?'

Lanie squinted an eye open. 'Damn your Spock brain, girl.' She leaned forward as the stylist shut off the dryer, ushered her over to the chair. 'It's going to look different to see you with your hair all styled up.'

'Why, you've seen it styled before?'

'Yeah, but not pulled back, it's always styled down.'

'Well I've been growing it out since last summer, so hopefully it's going to be what I thought it was. Thankfully working with my girl Moira here-' Meredeth patted the stylist on the arm '-in the past is coming in handy.'

'Avery was kinda snippy when I told him I was turning down the Mila Chaka photo-shoot in favour of doing a private job but he softened right up when I told him it was your wedding day. Up we go.' Moira lifted the dryer off of Meredeth's head, led her to the chair beside her maid of honour. 'So let me see if I have the right. You want the hair up and off the face in braids and then the loose tails from the braid will be curled.'

'Yeah. I want it to look like braids slicked back in my hair, then the halo of the veil is supporting a waterfall of ringlets.'

'Okay.' Moira reached for the pinned rollers, began to unravel up Meredeth's hair. 'So tell me more about the wedding.'

'Bethesda Terrace, at two in the afternoon. Very intimate, just immediate family and close friends. Javi's family priest is performing the ceremony, and my brother-in-law...can I call him that?' Meredeth looked to Lanie for verification.

'Don't see why not.'

'Okay, my brother-in-law Cameron, he's doing the reading from Ecclesiastes, Carol Thornton's going to sing _Season of Love_ from _Rent, _and Lili's going to read a portion of Pablo Neruda's Sonnet Seventeen in English and in Spanish.'

'What's that one?'

'It's the one that goes I love you without knowing how or when or where or why, it's really beautiful,' Lanie called over the airy hum of the hairdryer. 'And they've composed their own vows so there isn't going to be a dry eye on the terrace. Tell her about the Care-aoke!'

'The what?' Moira asked with a chuckle as she continued to brush her client's hair out from the rollers.

'We're not doing a stag-and-doe, well at least not in the traditional sense. Between family helping on some big details and scrupulous saving, we've got a good budget for a fancy small wedding, so we're doing a charity fundraiser for the survivor's fund instead.'

Lanie rolled her eyes good-naturedly. 'Listen to her down playing. So, because my girl here's got friends in famous places she puts out some noise on the Twitter saying she's got this thing under way, and she gets Mister Late-Late Show himself Craig Ferguson to MC the thing, and she gets a whole laundry list of ten famous peeps to join for the dinner part. And because they can spare the money, they've ponied up a whole lot of cash for a worthy cause, between them all, they'd pretty much double the price of ticket sales.'

'I like that.' Damon smeared soft pomade through Lanie's locks, then got out his styling tools. 'Who's the who on your who's who list, Miss Meredeth?'

'Mostly people from the miniseries, Mila Chaka, Laura Harper, Milo Ventimiglia, Tory Ando. But Milo retweeted and he got...wait for it...Selma Sinclair and Nora Gable.'

'From _Stark Raving Sane?_'

'Yeah. Milo sent me a message saying they'd even sing.'

'Wow. Sounds like it's going to be a hell of a party.'

* * *

'So what are the women up to, again?'

'Lanie and Meredeth are getting their hair done, some kind of test run for the big day. They're going to be doing their girl thing most of the night.'

Ryan nodded. He wasn't about to admit it made sense to him - he was still paying for the whole Tiffany's incident. It had been worth it for the sexy-time he'd banked with his wife; Ryan was fairly certain he was still washing butterscotch out of his belly-button from that one.

'Which gives us the perfect chance to spend some time killing those SOBs on level fourteen.' He unlocked the door, his handsome face smiling brightly as he saw Honey-Milk in her going-out clothes walking around the table, holding on to Dell's hands. 'Dell-Meister, come see me big guy.'

Honey-Milk stopped walking, released her son's grip. 'Go to Daddy.'

Esposito closed the door, hung back as he watched in amazement as Dell wobbled towards his father like a drunk, independently without any help whatsoever. Fascinated he saw Ryan's face, the same one that had stared down a stone-cold killer in Interrogation not an hour before, shine with fatherly pride as he stretched out his hands for his baby.

'Daddy! You home!' Dell giggled as he wrapped his arms around his father. 'You home.'

'Look at you go, speed-demon.' Ryan picked up Dell, held him on his hip to turn to Esposito. 'Can you say hi Javi?'

'Hi Hoppy.'

'Still having trouble with those V's huh?' Esposito held up his hand. 'Gimme five? Atta boy.'

'Boy.' Dell proudly pointed to his chest. 'Boy.'

'Yes, big boy, say bye to Mommy.' Honey-Milk gave her son a kiss, then her husband. 'Mommy's going out with Andrea to see a movie that doesn't contain cartoon singing animals and will be home before you know it.'

'Song?'

'Daddy will sing you your night-night song. Gimme one.' She pointed to her lips and got a mini peck that made her smile. 'Have fun with your no-girls allowed club tonight.'

Ryan gave Honey-Milk a second kiss as she headed out the door, then turned to keep his son's attention occupied so he wouldn't send up a siren wail over Honey-Milk leaving. 'Alright, big boy, since I'm cooking tonight, you're getting tomato-veggie soup. No animals will be harmed in the making of this dinner.'

'Soup, soup, soup.'

Esposito shrugged off his summer-weight jacket as Ryan popped Dell into his high chair, went to the fridge for the container of homemade soup easily recognizable as his fiancee's handiwork. 'Isn't that technically Meredeth making us dinner?'

'Edison didn't technically invent the light-bulb. Besides, never too early to my boy hooked on good food.' Ryan dumped the contents of the containers into a sauce-pan on the stove, passed Esposito a beer while he got his son's bottle of juice out to warm.

'Do you mind if I ask, how do you and Jenny balance the whole veggie and non-veggie thing when you're raising Dell?'

'He needs certain nutrients I as an adult can find in other foods, ones that aren't necessarily baby friendly. When he's old enough, we'll let him decide. If he's like his mom, or like me, or something in between, we'll be supportive.'

'Soup!' Dell declared loudly from his chair.

'It's coming big guy. You're worse than Javi, begging for Auntie Merry's cooking.'

'Hoppy, Hoppy, Hoppy.'

'Anyways,' Esposito drank his beer, pulled some pages from his work bag, 'mind if we go over some of this stuff for the wedding?'

'Sure.' Ryan ladled the soup broth into a small bowl, brought it over to the table to feed Dell. 'What you got?'

'Just little things, like party favours for the table, arranging limos and transportation for the wedding party from the hotel, seating arrangements for the ceremony.'

'What about the marriage license, the rings, that stuff?'

Esposito drank more beer. 'Marriage license is ready to be filed July fifteenth, rings are with my cousin Frannie waiting for you to pick them up.'

'Skipping right along.' Ryan dipped the spoon into Dell's mouth, dabbed at the corners. 'So there's only two and a half months to go, you nervous?'

'A little, but not like that. Things like am I going to step on Meredeth's dress or am I going to stutter when I say my vows, did I get the right flights out to Wellington.' Esposito paused, laughed a little. 'I bumped into Tucker Lloyd yesterday in the gym, and he started making noises about how getting married is worse than going to jail, since at least being in prison means you'd get sex, even if it's with some big hairy mope named Sally.'

'Clearly he's never met Meredeth.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	44. The Icing

Summer did not come gently to New York in July. It wasn't the sultry slinking woman wrapping herself around the city like a smooth seducing lover. Rather, it was a pissed-off prize fighter looking to take names and kick ass. Thanks to the man-made canyons created by the sky-scrapers and other buildings, the little ants scurrying along the city floor were even more temperamental than usual New Yorkers. There was barely a whisper of a breeze, and when there was, it was just as hot as the sticky, melting air that cloaked and coated everything in sight.

And because indoors was hotter than outdoors, everyone was taking their business to the streets - stores having sales, restaurants making a killing off their patios, disputes between neighbours were now public theatre. Even murder, Esposito noted, as he swung out of his ride with Ryan on his heels as they arrived at their latest scene.

'You'd think being essential city servants, we could at least get a vehicle with decent AC,' Ryan noted, thankful he'd worn a white shirt, even if he risked nasty human fluids on it. A quick scrub of Ajax in the laundry tub was more than worth the price of staying cool. 'Still glad you planned an outdoor wedding?'

'Yes. Think of how hot it would be inside San Gabriel.'

'It's a church, they've got those big high ceilings for air movement, don't they?'

'But San G's has no air conditioning, it's a natural sweat box. Being married outside, especially at Bethesda Terrace, if things get too sweaty we can all go skinny-dipping in the fountain as we say 'I do'. What do we got, Doc?' Esposito asked Lanie, noting how her suit, usually so crisp the pleats could draw blood, was wilting in the mid-morning sun as she crouched over a blonde who'd taken one hell of a nasty tumble.

'Kayla Grant, thirty-three according to her license, looks like she got into a smack down with a foreign object.' Lanie gestured to the matted blood on the victim's left temple. 'Of course in this heat, all it probably took was her waiting too long at the crosswalk for someone to get shovy and in those heels-' she pointed to the three inch ice-picks on her feet '-easy enough to get stuck in a grate and go ass over teakettle to the ground.'

'So what makes you think it was a body dump?'

'This.' Lanie rolled Miss Grant partially to her side, pointed to the green and brown smears on her thigh. 'Grass stains means she was dragged for a distance over a green patch, and since there's no abrasions from pavement, she wasn't dragged all the way here.'

'Who called it in?'

'Woman in the park, said she was sitting down for coffee break with her boyfriend.' Lanie made air-quotes at the last word, shook her head. 'When will these street-divas learn they can't con the cops?'

'Where is she now?' Ryan asked, making his preliminary notes.

'Nijinsky and Walters sent them both in for solicitation, so we'll see what kind of noise she makes over that. It's why I'm glad the morgue is its own little island away from the precinct. Nothing there but the dead, and they're not going to start yapping off. Dead men tell no tales.'

Esposito tucked his tongue in his cheek. 'You been watching _Dead Man's Chest_, Doctor?'

'Dave's a Depp fan,' was all she said as she stood up, let her assistants load up the body into the dead-house wagon. 'I'll call you when I've got something to call about. Meanwhile, you guys get to go have fun with Lady Marmalade in Holding. Or should I say, Lord Marmalade.'

'The who now?'

'The working girl they took in was actually a working man, so please fill me in on the details of how our straight-laced Wall-Street guy reacts when he finds out he was paying for play-time with a she-male. Always makes me laugh those guys can't tell the difference.'

* * *

'Have to admit, this job always puts you in the path of interesting people,' Ryan commented as they went up the elevator to the Homicide floor. 'I love working with the trannies, especially when the guy doesn't know it's a trannie hooker. Never fails to brighten my day.'

'You worked in Vice a little too long, I think.'

'Believe it or not, I saw more meat-packing sisters in BOC than you'd think.'

The elevator dinged and as they stepped off, a passing Karpowski said to them, 'Old lady, twelve o'clock.'

'What-' Esposito started, then saw Meredeth sitting at his desk drinking iced tea with Castle. She looked sweet and fresh as a vanilla-and-Coke float in her lipstick-red top and flowing red-and-white flowered skirt. She'd been growing her hair out, and it hung in a French braid to between her shoulder-blades. 'Hey, Mere,' he greeted her with a quick peck on the cheek as she popped out of her chair. 'To what do I owe this happy surprise?'

'Okay, Castle, _now_ I can tell you my news.' Meredeth whipped out a printed-sheet from her purse, cleared her throat as she did her best to hold onto her glee. 'This morning's Emmy nominations offered a mix of the expected, the unexpected, and the plain old-fashioned WTF as usual. However, this may be the first time in this reporter's memory that the category of 'Best Miniseries' was anticipated as much as the Best Comedy and Best Drama Series nominations. While it was no surprise that _Lady Hawk_ got a nomination for Best Miniseries, the full list of nominations revealed it had a whopping eight nominations including Directing of a Miniseries and one for Best Writing of a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special!'

Meredeth let out a small screech of utter delight. 'Did you hear that? I'm nominated for an Emmy, for my writing, Javi!'

'Hey, that's my girl!' Esposito scooped Meredeth off her feet in a hug, planting a whooping kiss on her mouth before he let Ryan and Castle get their hugs and kisses in too. 'So when are they announcing the winners?'

'Five of the nominations are through the Creative Arts Emmys, so the weekend of August seventeenth, but the three big ones, the Best Series, Directing and Writing, those are on the live Primetime Emmy broadcast, on September first, which is why I came down here to talk to you.' Meredeth fiddled her engagement ring with her thumb. 'We're supposed to be leaving on the Monday morning from Los Angeles for Wellington-'

'Right, so we'll fly out on the Saturday, spend a few days in L.A. being all Hollywood and then we leave for our honeymoon,' Esposito finished off for her. 'Do you think I'd make you miss something like that? It's a once in a life time opportunity.'

Meredeth pulled him tight against her. 'I knew you'd understand.'

'And, it also means I'll get to wear my wedding tux again, and I'll just get my tie to match your dress.'

'Wow, you've thought about this happening, huh?'

'After you got that call from Robina saying you guys were through the roof on ratings and hearing the stellar reviews, I couldn't help but plan around the possibility.' Esposito kissed her knuckles. 'I'm so proud of you, Meredeth.'

'I have to run, Robina's taking me out for lunch to celebrate, but I had to come down and tell you guys.' Meredeth clapped her hands together in front of her face. 'Thank you so much, for everything, Ryan and Castle you guys are great, and I'll see you all tonight for the Care-aoke, right?'

'You know it.'

Meredeth kissed Esposito one last time, not particularly concerned if she embarrassed him at work or not; she knew when he told his co-workers the reason why he was getting a little sugar in the middle of the squad room they'd be happy for him. As she all but danced to the elevator, Beckett strolled up, a curious look on her face.

'Getting in a break-room quickie Detective?'

'No, ma'am. My fiancee's nominated for an Emmy, that's all.'

'Oh congrats!' Beckett clapped him on the shoulder in her subtle show of support. 'So when she wins, will it be Meredeth Coleman or Meredeth Esposito or Meredeth Coleman-Esposito or Meredeth Esposito-Coleman?'

'Let's not get ahead of ourselves.'

Beckett only arched an eyebrow. 'Esposito, come on. We all watched that show. We know she's going to kick everyone's asses and then eat them for breakfast washed down with Cristal. _When_ she wins, which name will it be?'

'Coleman, but when they do all the announcing stuff, it'll be Esposito.'

'And knowing her, she'll get her statue re-engraved after it's sitting on her mantle. You won't take it with you on the honeymoon, though, will you? I've heard those things weigh a lot.' Ryan looked to Castle for verification, who nodded in agreement.'

'Eighty-eight ounces. That's a lot to put into the suitcase, especially for traveling to New Zealand.'

Esposito waved his hands in the air. 'Okay, now I'm getting nervous about all this 'when she wins' shit, because I don't want to be disappointed for her if she doesn't. We've got murder to work here, the Care-aoke tonight and the wedding coming up. The Emmys are icing.'

'Thank you, Detective.' Beckett slipped off the desk where she was sitting, turned to the murder board. 'What do we know so far about Kayla Grant?'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	45. The Drunken Sex

'I think I've been drunking.'

'Yes, yes you and I both have. Thank goodness neither of us has an occupation at watch...weech...at which we go to tomorrow.'

'Oh yeah. You and me both. Right?'

'Right.'

Esposito and Meredeth weaved their way up the stairs of the subway station on their way back home from their night of drunken debauchery. The Care-aoke had been a smash from start to finish. Wine and food had been abundant and with Craig Ferguson MC-ing the event, it had the feel of a stand-up night with dinner and drinks, making everyone feel a little more relaxed than the normally would be. And the reason they were all there, the survivor's fund, was well-benefited. Between ticket sales and a small silent auction they raised almost twenty-thousand dollars to help the families who weren't as fortunate as Meredeth to take their cops home after being shot in the line of duty. The celebrity guests had been treated with remarkable respect, especially considering that the majority of the people in attendance were on their way to being shit-faced before the first notes of the night were even sung. They'd signed autographs, taken pictures, some had even joined in on stage with the singing to thunderous applause.

All the characters from the Twelfth had been there, and in true Twelfth style, had been the hit of the night. Castle had sung a duet with Ryan, who'd been pumped full of double-whiskey sours to get his courage up, then performed a solo of Roy Orbison's 'Pretty Woman' complete with dark sunglasses. They'd gotten Esposito up on stage after a lot of rum and tequila, to sing a version of the Stones 'Satisfaction', then to their surprise he'd also performed a duet of 'Waterloo' with his beloved. Meredeth knew he'd had a lot to drink because there was no way had have sung ABBA in the shower, nevermind a room full of cops, unless he'd had a couple of hits of the Spanish happy juice.

Now, after last call and they'd made their way to the subway somehow in one piece, they were steps away from their front door. The night was warm as they wove their way down the middle of the street so they wouldn't risk a turned ankle or worse stepping off the sidewalk, taking a review of the night as they went.

' 'At was quite the number you did,' Esposito told her, the smile of a not-quite sloppy drunk on his face.

'Which one? There was more than one.'

'The second one, the black velvet one, what's the name again?'

'Black Velvet?' she offered helpfully.

'Yeah, that one. You sounded all sexy, like when I'm kissing on your fun bits,' he murmured to her in as low a voice as he could manage, like he was telling her a big secret. 'Think we can do that when we get inside?'

'Well, I certainly can't nibble on my fun bits. Heehee, nibble.'

'No but you taste so yummy.'

Meredeth fumbled in her clutch for her house keys, distracted when he was running his hands in slow passes over her body, even reaching under her top to caress her stomach. 'Can't think right when you do that,' she told him on a giggle. 'Which 's fine when we're in bed...or on the floor...or the couch...or the bathtub...even the kitchen table...what was I doing again?'

'Keys, so we get inside and bump fuckin' ugly bunnies.'

'I think it's bump uglies or fuck like bunnies.'

'I say we do both.'

'Uh-huh. Ta-da!' Meredeth opened the front door with a proud flourish. 'The door is unlocked and opened.'

Esposito clapped slowly. 'My woman the magician. Magiciass?'

'What about my ass?'

'Nothing, it's just very nice and juicy. In fact,' Esposito stepped inside the door after her, 'I think I'd like to go upstairs and have it.'

'It's yours to have. Just yours. No one else's.'

Meredeth held out a hand for him, led him upstairs to their room were they tumbled onto the bed, pawing at each other with the pats and strokes of the chemically impaired. She lay on her side, still fully dressed as she pecked as his lips. 'This might not sound like fun but there are two bottles of Gatorade in the fridge downstairs that will definitely take the edge off tomorrow morning.'

'Aw, but that's so far away, Mere.' Esposito reached out, started flipping open the buttons of her blouse to see her beautiful lace-covered breasts. 'And you're right here.'

'Yeah, I am.'

'Tell you what.' He inched closer. 'I will bet you in ten seconds you'll be all hot for me. If I'm wrong, I'll go and get the Gatorade.'

Meredeth looked at him with intrigue. 'Do I look that easy?'

'Chicken.'

Her only response to that was to sit up and finish peeling off her blouse so she lay in her skirt and bra on the bed. 'Do your worst, Javier.'

'Ten...nine...eight...' Esposito inched even closer, slid the pale pink strap down her shoulder, then tugged the lace down to reveal her breast. 'Seven...six...five...'

He licked the pad of his thumb, let it hover over her nipple. 'Four...three...' He dragged it roughly across her delicate skin, and felt like a god when he saw her eyes go wide, then slam shut in reflex. 'Two...'

'Javi!' It was part curse, part moan, and all pleasure. Knowing she was defeated and too turned on to really give a damn, Meredeth rolled to her back as Esposito tugged at her other bra strap, exposing her other breast for him to feast on. 'Javi, baby,' she mumbled as she felt his busy hands pulling her skirt zipper down, then the skirt itself over her legs. 'Not to insult your manhood, but are you sure you're up for this?'

'You tell me.'

Meredeth felt him take her hand, close it around the tab of his zipper. Indeed he was up for it, as she felt the solid bump of his erection through his jeans. Feeling creative, she slithered off the end of the bed so she was on her knees in front of him, and tugged the zipper down with her teeth. Her own libido began to swim when she heard his hiss of breath, felt his hand brush the top of her hair.

'Meredeth, I'm up but I ain't Superman,' he told her. 'This ain't gonna last long.'

'Okay.' Understanding him, she stood up, shimmied out of her panties and flopped onto her back on the bed. 'Fast and fun's good too.'

Esposito had never been more thankful to have such an understanding fiancee as at that moment. He tugged his shirt over his head, finished undressing so he was as naked as she was. Starting at her ankles, he kissed his way up the length of her smooth, creamy legs until he hit the little hollow of her thighs, where she was already hot and waiting wetly for him. He kissed and suckled and tasted, but only momentarily before he ranged himself over her and sank inside.

Like he'd told her, it didn't last long, but what there was felt incredibly as always. Meredeth felt the sweet, delicious pop of the orgasm, the release of it through her veins like wine. 'Oh yes, baby,' she murmured to him, as he pressed his face into her throat, felt him tense then shudder as he followed her with his own. 'Oh, that felt good.'

'Like I said, I ain't Superman,' he told her, lips sticking to her throat.

'Javi, I doubt most men who've drank as much as you did tonight could even get it up. The fact we had chipmunk sex instead our usual mating stallion affairs proves you're still an animal in the sack.'

'I love you Mere.'

'I love you too Javi.'

* * *

The following morning, Esposito was ready to die. He thought about calling and asking Father Paolo to do the wedding ceremony at the foot of their bed so he could die as Meredeth's husband when he head blew into a million pieces. He reached for his goose-down pillow, and accidentally clocked Meredeth lightly in the nose.

'Oh, sorry, baby.'

'It's okay.' She wiggled her nose a little, made her it was still attached to her face and unbroken. 'Betcha wish you had that Gatorade before the chipmunk sex last night, huh?'

'Shut up.'

Meredeth, feeling just as blurry and dizzy, wrapped her arm around his waist. 'Could be worse. Kevin Ryan has to go into work today. At least it's your turn to be off the roll.'

'That's true. I don't think I was this hungover at Hallowe'en.'

'No, definitely not. Coffee?'

'You're a saint. But before we do that, let's make one little promise right here and now, okay?'

'Okay.'

Esposito took the pillow off his head, pulled Meredeth close for a sweet, comforting kiss. 'Our wedding night, no more than the customary champagne. I want that night to be the hottest, steamiest, sexiest and maybe the dirtiest, night we spend together in our lives so far. Deal?'

'Deal. You want bacon and eggs?'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	46. The Rainy Afternoon

A month before the wedding and Meredeth never thought she'd be so happy in her life to see the rain. Since the first heat spike the day of the Care-aoke, stepping outdoors felt like walking into a vat of pancake batter. Everything was hot and sticky, even the shade only offered shelter from the sun, but no relief of the sweltering heat. Now, after three weeks of temperatures hitting the low of eighty-five and the humidity being off the charts, a midnight thunderstorm had cut the syrupy air like a knife to bring the temperature back down to a tolerable eighty-one with little to no humidity. The kindness hadn't stopped there, as rain continued to pelt the Big Apple for three days straight, washing away weeks of sweat and bad tempers into the storm drains, the dry brown leaves on the trees soaking up the moisture like little sponges.

As she knew two of her girls would be all but going stir-crazy, Meredeth had the suggestion of an indoor picnic at her place and both Honey-Milk and Lili had jumped at it, especially Lili. She'd all but glued herself to the AC Cam had bought her for a pre-baby Mother's Day present; since the Chelsea townhouse had Central Air, Meredeth had barely gotten the words out before Lili was starting to pack Rosie's baby-bag.

Now, with the house toddler proofed and spit-polished shined, Meredeth put the finishing touches on the barbecue chicken sandwiches and talked to Arturo.

'So, to recap, no jumping, no licking and no nibbling on the small ones right?' Since all Arturo could do was give her a foolish puppy grin, Meredeth nodded. 'I'll take that as a yes.'

The door, which she'd left unlocked for the girls to simply come in, opened and Arturo trotted out at a gentlemanly pace to see Lili coming in, Rosie in her Go-Baby sling against her chest. To Meredeth's relief, Arturo simply sniffed at the tiny human attached to Lili and sneezed before trotting to the couch.

'Good boy, Artie,' she said as she took the bags from Lili's hands so her almost-sister in-law could attend to her almost-niece. 'Feel good to get out of the apartment?'

'Apartment? I don't have an apartment. I have a sweaty shoe box with a stove and bed and TV,' Lili groused good-naturedly. 'I brought the lox and crackers, and the really good cream cheese.'

'And Honey-Milk's bringing the fruit and lemonade.'

At the mention of Honey-Milk's name, Arturo trotted to the window, parked himself there to watch for his beloved to arrive; the sight of it made Lili giggle as she re-wrapped Rosie into her summer-weight blanket.

'Someone has a crush.'

'You weren't there at Castle's place in the Hamptons last Memorial Day. He'd never been around a pregnant woman before, so when Dell was kicking and squirming inside her belly at first he thought it was Martians attacking, then became her canine bodyguard.'

'That's so cute. How come I didn't get that treatment?'

'I think he could sense you were edgy. He's a smart boy.'

Sure enough, Arturo inched forward, his whip-like tail wagging before he raced over to the door and waited patiently for it to open. Thirty seconds later Honey-Milk appeared, pulling Dell in his stroller indoors. Both mother and son were wearing their banana-yellow rain-macs and matching Crocs.

'Mahwahdef! Wet!' Dell said with a smile to match his father's. 'I wet! Mommy wet!'

'I see that, big guy!'

Honey-Milk threw back her hood, shook her soft blond hair out. 'We made it out of the subway just as the sky cracked open,' she explained as she unbuckled Dell from his stroller, slipped off his shoes and coat. 'How do we play around the new baby?'

'Gennel.'

'That's right, gentle.'

Meredeth watched Honey-Milk take the recent birthday boy to the couch where Lili was sitting with Rosie. Dell was a well-behaved little boy; his parents didn't tolerate any willful behaviour from him, as was evident when he stopped beside Lili's knees and rested his free hand there. 'Ssss, gennel,' he whispered. 'Moosh?'

'What?'

'Moosh.'

Honey-Milk had to swallow a chuckle. 'Moosh is his word for kiss. Ryan has been teaching him 'smooch' since he's still learning k's and hard c's at the start of words and can't say 'kiss'.'

'What a charmer.' Lili adjusted her hold on Rosie, patted the space beside her. 'Come on up, Dell-entino.'

'I gennel.' With a boost on the bottom from his mother, Dell plunked his behind on the couch beside Lili, rested his little hands on her arm as he leaned in and brushed little lips on Rosie's forehead. When Rosie began to squirm, burble a little, Dell held a chubby finger to his lips. 'Sssss. Sooze.'

'My ever-creative hubby strikes again with 'snooze',' Honey-Milk laughed, swinging Dell onto the floor beside her, gave him a few little grapes in a plastic bowl to munch on while she unwrapped a container of fruit for the adults. 'So, one month to go, Mere. You nervous?'

'Yes,' Meredeth replied instantly, 'but in the good way, like waiting for Christmas. Only instead of there being a big white guy in a fuzzy red suit, it's a hot Puerto-Rican in a black silk tuxedo. Pretty much all the details are taken care of. We've got the cars, the hotel, the food, the dresses, the hair and make-up, the party favours. Even my dress for the Emmys is ready.'

'Oh?'

'Yeah, it's gorgeous, it's a one-shoulder teal satin, same bodice and skirt as my wedding dress. Javi's excited, he gets to wear his wedding tux a second time, and his tie is going to match my dress. It's made out of the same fabric. And he'll also have his wedding gift from me.'

Honey-Milk nodded as she put a few small grapes into a plastic bowl for Dell. She couldn't imagine what it would have been like to be two months from a wedding like Meredeth and Esposito's and be thrown that curve. Of course, since the wedding had been planned for a Friday and they would leave for their honey-moon the following Monday anyways, so it had worked out nicely. There was, however, a small part of Honey-Milk's brain that wondered if Esposito hadn't planned that way all along in anticipation of his bride's imminent success with her miniseries. The fact he did spoke volumes - he was marrying the woman, all of her and not just the pieces of her that were convenient to him.

'What did you get him?'

'Tiffany cuff-links. They're engraved with our wedding date on one side - eight-thirty - and on one it says 'love' in Spanish and the other in Danish.'

'Very smart. When he gets dressed up, he goes all out,' Lili commented, discreetly tugging on her shirt to nurse Rosie when she started fussing, leaving Meredeth shaking her head. 'What?'

'How do you know that's what she wants? How do you know it's not pain or a wet diaper.

Lili exchanged a knowing looking with Honey-Milk. 'You just do. I know it's terribly cliched of me, when I try to be anything but that in my life, but you learn the different cries. Plus when she's whimpering like that and she starts doing this-' Lili stuck her tongue out like a goldfish '-it means she's looking around for the milk-jugs. Pass me one of those strawberries, will you?'

They passed the rest of the afternoon relaxing with the toddler and the baby in the living room, even turned on the television and watched _The Little Mermaid_, as Dell was fascinated by the music and the bright colours, while snacking on the various treats they'd brought to share. By the time Ariel was reunited with her prince, the snacks were done and they'd just finished putting the plates in the dishwasher when the front door swung open.

'Anyone home?'

'Javi?' Leaving the other two women in the kitchen, Meredeth went to the door to see Esposito smiling at her, soaking wet.

'Hello almost-wife.'

'Hello almost-husband. Did you and Ryan take a swim in your suits?'

Esposito went the short distance to the laundry room, proceeded to strip down to his rain-clammy skin and drop his wet clothes into the wash-basin as he told Meredeth about his early arrival. 'End-of-shift re-canvass, we got stuck doing door-to-doors in this shit.' Naked, as the rain had soaked through to his underwear, he grabbed a folded towel off the stack, then wrapped it around his waist as he kissed her. 'Hi.'

'Hi.'

'If you want I can take Rosie and Dell upstairs with me so you can have your girl-time.'

'Fine by me, just ask them.'

He sent her a cocky grin. 'Please, when Honey-Milk sees this bod and mentally compares it to that Irish string-bean, she'll promise me anything. Just like a certain Dane does when I don't wear the towel.' Tracing a fingertip over the outline of her lips, Esposito leaned in for another kiss, this time slower, sexier. 'How long are they planning on staying?'

'Not much longer, they've both been here since about three, why?'

'I have a few other indoor activities in mind for you and me tonight.' He kissed her again. 'Ones that don't require an audience. Unless you count our vid-cam.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	47. The Bachelor Party A

_Hello Crumbsian fans! So the next four chapters are happening simultaneously: as you can guess what's happening from the title, the guys are out with Esposito while the ladies take Meredeth out for one last single-lady party. Enjoy!_

* * *

It was Friday night, seven days before the wedding and Esposito could barely contain himself. This time next week, he'd be a married man with the most wonderful woman in the world as his wife. He thought he'd be a lot more nervous than he was, but he was so distracted between getting paperwork and other things finished off before he left on his honeymoon he really didn't have the time to think about it. Instead he focused on why he'd been slogging through as many overtime hours the past two weeks as possible - his first weeks with his new wife. Three whole glorious weeks with Meredeth, without any interruptions or broken dates, just them in New Zealand, taking in the sites and making love in all kinds of new places. And course, before that even started, there would be the Emmys on Sunday night. If anything, he felt a touch more nervous about that, as he didn't know the outcome there. With the wedding he knew exactly what would happen: he would see his Meredeth in a beautiful white gown, they would exchange promises of love and their rings in front of family and friends, dance the night away after a sumptuous dinner, and conclude the night with as much sex as they could manage.

But that was still a week away. Today he was on red alert; Ryan and Castle were up to something and he knew if Richard Castle even went near some kind of party, he was thankful he was a cop and could put the kibosh on before things got too out of control.

He signed off on his last file of the day, began to shut down his computer as Castle and Ryan came up to him, both examining their watches.

'Hey, what-' he started, but was cut off when Ryan merely held up a finger and counted out loud.

'Four three two one, and the turkey is ready for carving!'

'Really? I've got another eight seconds on my watch,' Castle pouted.

Ryan grabbed his wrist, counted again. 'Three two one, happy new year! You are officially off shift, which means your last weekend as a single man is now under way!' The detective turned to Castle, his face holding all the eagerness of a new puppy. 'Can I tell him?'

'Have at it.'

'So we decided that since Castle didn't get to throw me one of these send-offs into blissful wedded life, that means you get a double dose.'

'I'm getting two strippers built like my almost-wife?'

'Please, so pedestrian,' Ryan scoffed, his eyes glinting as his partner got to his feet, swung on his light jacket. 'Where do you think you're going?'

'Home, to my fiancee for a little lovin' and a shower to get ready for this wild night you've got planned.'

Castle and Ryan both laughed uproariously. 'Isn't he the cutest,' Castle asked, digging a knuckle lightly into Esposito's cheek. 'You're not going anywhere near your lovely Chelsea townhouse or Meredeth until Sunday.'

'But-'

'Yes, we'll see those a-plenty this weekend.' The trio stepped onto the elevator, road it down to the garage where Esposito felt a giddy bubble in his stomach. There waiting for them was a sleek black limo, glossy as fresh paint; beside it was standing Ike with a bottle of scotch, Gil a camera, and Cam a box of Cuban cigars. 'What's all this?'

'Your bachelor party weekend, bro.' Castle squeezed Esposito's shoulders in a brotherly way. 'Hop in. Our flight's in an hour and a half, and traffic's going to be a bitch.'

'Flight?' Esposito looked around as the men all filed into the limo. As Ryan hopped in last, swinging the door shut behind him, he passed Esposito a glass of scotch on ice before accepting one for himself.

From his spot farther up on the plushy bench, Castle clipped the end of his cigar, lit the end as he offered up a toothy grin. 'We're off to Vegas, my man.'

'Vegas? Castle-'

'I didn't get to throw one for Ryan, so like he said, you're getting twice the bachelor party.'

'What about Meredeth, don't you think she's going to wonder where I am?'

Ryan laughed. 'Your bride is with Lanie and my bride. I've heard what they have planned for her, she's going to be lucky to remember her own name. Give me your phone.'

'Excuse me?'

'This is a weekend for the boys only,' Gil told him, thrilled to see steady Javier Esposito flummoxed. 'No girlfriends, no fiancees, no wives allowed, which includes calls and texts.'

'But since we know you can't go too long without your little sex-kitten, you get three calls to her this weekend. Your choice how you want to use them,' Ike added.

'Fine. Gimme my phone.'

With a smug grin, Ryan handed it over; it rang three times before Meredeth picked up on the other end.

'Hi Javi! You already in the limo?'

Esposito blinked once. 'How do you know about that?'

'Honey-Milk and Lanie just got here along with the rest of my girls, told me you and the boys were heading to Nevada for the weekend. Just remember, always bet on black fourteen, strippers are for looking only, and never ever feed the flamingos.'

'Same goes for you about that stripper detail. I'll see you Sunday, baby. I love you.'

'Love you too!' She all but sang it as the connection clicked off.

'Feel better now?' Cam asked around his cigar, his leg stretched out to extend his knee.

'Much.'

'Alright, alright, a little toast here.' Castle held up his glass of scotch. 'To Javier Esposito, for being lucky enough to find the love of his life. And knowing that whatever ups and down the future might have, he'll have a smoking hot wife beside him through it all.'

They clinked glasses, drank before the writer added, 'You guys ever do it in a limo?'

Getting into the spirit of things, Esposito took a long and satisfied drag off of his Cuban as he grinned. 'Not yet.'

* * *

The party arrived luggage and all - Ryan used his spare house key to pack Esposito a light suitcase and stow it in the trunk of the limo - at the Venetian, right in the heart of the Vegas Strip. The bellhops were at the limo trunk before they could all exit, smelling of what Esposito had always thought of as money - mingled aftershave, cigar smoke and scotch. Trying not to feel too overwhelmed as they walked in behind Castle, who all but sauntered up to the reception counter with the casual air of someone used to the very finest treatment in hotels.

'Well hello there, Bridget,' he flirted with the adorable hostess after a quick glance of her name-tag. 'I'm Richard Castle, my party is here for check-in.' He turned motioned for Esposito to step forward. 'This is our groom-to-be, one of New York's finest.'

'Welcome to the Venetian, sir.' Bridget tapped the keyboard with her perfectly manicured nails. 'You and Mr. Ryan will be in the Piazza Suite, and the rest of the party will be in the Bella. Your bags will be seen to, if you could just sign to acknowledge your check-in.'

Castle handled the paperwork as Bridget signaled for the bellhops to go to the tower elevators, then passed around room keys. 'Get in, get a drink, get a shower, and meet us in the Bella suite at nine, sharp,' he ordered.

Too grateful and overwhelmed to do otherwise, Esposito followed the bellhops as did the others. They rose up thirty stories of the hotel tower, with everyone but Ryan and Esposito stepping off for the Bella Suite; Esposito and Ryan went up another four to their suite. When the elevator doors opened, Esposito thought he'd either throw up or cry at how spectacular the foyer for their private suite was. Italian marble flooring led into the fourteen hundred square foot suite, replete with big screen TV, and a plush-looking king sized bed.

'If we're sharing that bed, just remember I'm not the mother of your child.'

'Duly noted, as long as you remember that I'm not a curvy, leggy Danish writer.'

'Also noted.' Esposito crossed over to the window, shoved the curtains back to stare out at the bright lights of the famous stretch of casinos in the middle of a desert. 'One week until I'm married. Did you ever think I'd get here?'

'Yes. I knew the first night you brought Meredeth to meet us at Castle's for poker and Chinese food.' At Esposito's surprised look, Ryan simply shrugged. 'It was obvious to all of us even then you were gone over her.'

'I love her. She's the best thing that ever happened to me.'

'I know. But this isn't the weekend for being mushy. Tonight and tomorrow, we party like brain-damaged cavemen, starting with the private poker game Castle has setting up for us in the VIP room of Tao downstairs.'

'Isn't that where they have one of the preliminary rounds of the World Series of Poker?'

'The very same.'

'Wow. You guys didn't have to do this, you know.' Esposito unzipped his suitcase, pulled out his shaving kit for the shower. 'I'd have been happy with a night out in New York with a shot, a steak, and a stripper.'

'You have a problem with it, talk to Castle.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	48. The Bachelorette Party A

'So what is the plan for tonight exactly?'

'Patience, bride-to-be. Can't very well go off and be a married lady without a proper send-off.'

Meredeth rolled her eyes playfully. They were at Castle's and Beckett's loft, setting out platters of catered goodies as they waited for the other women to arrive. She'd offered to cook for the, but all of her bridesmaids had threatened to take away all her fancy lingerie she'd accumulated for her honeymoon if she lifted more than a glass of champagne. 'It's not like I'm moving halfway around the world, I'm just getting married.'

'No such thing. Hey question, where did you get your tattoo done?'

'Pins and Needles West on Thirty-Fifth. Why you thinking of getting some ink done?'

Lili nodded, unconsciously rubbing her lower abdomen where her c-section scar was. 'I was thinking of getting a design to go over my scar, like a rose with a trailing vine for my Rosie.'

'It's your body of course, but that's a sort-of souvenir from your first baby being born, Lili. Are you sure you want that covered up? What does Cam think?'

'Cam thinks it's kinda sexy, tells me it reminds him how much of an Amazon I was when they sliced Rosie out of my belly.'

'I have a question.' Beckett appeared on the landing, looked down at the guest of honour. 'Why are we talking about such heavy stuff tonight? This is part one of party time. Lili, get her a drink.'

'On it.' Along with the food, a bar station had been set up, and Lili set about fixing what she knew was one of Meredeth's favourite drinks, a brass monkey - gin, white rum, triple sec, sours and grapefruit juice. 'Want a double barrel?'

'You bet,' Meredeth replied as the doorbell buzzed; she opened it to find Lanie and Honey-Milk on the other side.

'Happy almost wedding!' Lanie squeezed the bride-to-be tightly, then pulled a tiara and sash out of the tote bag she'd brought with her. 'You are in for a treat tonight.'

'Strippers dressed as firefighters?'

'No, the men don't appear until tomorrow. Tonight is just about all us girls doing what we do best - drinking strong fruity drinks, pampering ourselves and talking trash about our men, who as we speak are spiriting away your beloved in a stretch limo full of cigar smoke to fly to Vegas for a boys' weekend.'

'Oh, man, he's going to be floored!' Meredeth felt her phone buzz in her pocket, fished it out. 'And speak of the sexy devil. 'Hi Javi! You already in the limo?'

'How do you know about that?'

'Honey-Milk and Lanie just got here and told me you and the boys were heading to Nevada for the weekend. Just remember, always bet on black fourteen, strippers are for looking only, and never ever feed the flamingos.' She watched as Lanie pulled a book labeled '101 Naughty Questions for Every Blushing Bride' from her bag, wiggled her eyebrows.

'Same goes for you about that stripper detail. I'll see you Sunday, baby. I love you.'

'Love you too!' She all but sang it as the connection clicked off, then reached out for the book. 'Seriously, Lanie, do you shop in Dungeon Alley on a regular basis or just since I got engaged?'

'Well I also have Beckett needing a push every now and then, and my own love life to think about,' she said with a grin. 'You want to play this before or after our main entertainment gets here?'

'What main entertainment?'

Before Meredeth's question could be answered there was a knock on the door, which Beckett opened to a fresh-faced redhead carrying a large suitcase. 'Giselle, thanks for coming.'

'I love doing bachelorette parties. Always love to spice up things for a newlywed couple.' Giselle set her suitcase down on the coffee table, waited until all the women had assembled. 'My name's Giselle, and I am here to give you a demonstration on a variety of our products. Since I understand our bride-to-be has never been to a fantasia party, we'll start off with something I know she'll like before we move into the hardware. So,' she popped the lid on the case, spun it towards the women to reveal a variety of toys and accessories. 'Let's talked edible massage oils.'

* * *

A few hours and a lot of drinks later, after they'd all made purchases from Giselle and her bag of tricks, the five women were in various states of inebriation, with the exception of the still-nursing Lili, as they lazed around the furniture of the living room. Meredeth was lying on her back, a throw pillow under her head and a very long straw extending from her drink while they continued sharing the dirty details of their loves lives by answering Lanie's questions.

'Okay, okay.' Lanie sat half-sideways, one leg dangling towards the floor, the other hooked over the arm of the sofa. 'Question number sixty-eight. Describe your man's style in bed according to an animal. Example - my man's like a chicken because he always bobs his head when he gives me oral sex.'

Beckett, who was as looped as Meredeth had ever seen her, was hanging upside on the couch beside Lanie, her legs over the back and her head resting on the coffee table. 'It doesn't say that!'

'Okay, I made up that compar...comparison but you get my point.' Lanie craned her neck past Beckett to see Meredeth. 'How 'bout it, Merry Cherry Poppins? What's your man like?'

'Nuh-huh. I've been going first all night.' Meredeth blinked in concentration, adjusted her plastic tiara on her head. 'At least I think I have. Someone else.'

'I'll go.' Ever ready to dish on her baby daddy, Honey-Milk picked herself up off the floor where she was laying on her stomach, to prop her elbows on the table. 'My Kev's a dolphin,' she sighed dreamily, eliciting wobbly giggles from the other four. 'No, think it about it. Everyone thinks dolphins are these cute, cuddly things when they're actually these shit-kicking badasses.'

'And Kevin's a bad-ass in bed?' Lili asked, nonplussed.

'The baddest. One night before he had to go on surveillance, Dell was having a nap and I was going to make dinner, when he just cleared the kitchen table and pounded me good on that big oak slab. The table, I mean not his junk. Although does that count since it was a table and not a bed...' Honey-Milk trailed off, flushed pink at remembering the night while Meredeth nodded.

'Yeah. One of the hottest nights I had with Javi was on our living room floor, on a real-bearskin rug.'

'I thought those only existed in seventies pornos?' Lili asked curiously.

'My grandfather was into hunting, he tanned it and kept it and then his granddaughter banged her fiancee on it.' Meredeth laughed, sucked up more brass monkey. 'Wha' 'bout your baby daddy, Lucita Lourdes? What's Cam's animal spirit?'

'Tasmanian Devil,' she replied. 'He's not very big, I mean, he's _big_-' she gestured widely with her hands '-but not very tall, but he just knows how to rip it up. Best lover I've ever had.'

'Only lover,' Meredeth reminded her. 'So we have a dolphin, a devil, what about Dave, Lanie?'

'You mean my Italian Stallion?' Lanie rolled her tongue in a low growl. 'In my diary, my very personal private diary that would mean certain death for anyone who read it, I called him Campbell's after we got together.'

'Why, because his cream of mushroom soup is so delicious?' Beckett asked lasciviously, earning groans from around the table. 'It's the liquor. I get stupid and horny when I've had the hard stuff. Speaking of hard stuff...'

'You're sick, girl, but I was going to say because he is mmm-mmm-good,' Lanie replied with eyes closed; she opened them and looked directly at Beckett. 'Since your tongue's that loose, what about Castle?'

'Castle's a panther. Big, beautiful, powerful, sexy and dangerous. Can't ask for much more than that.' Beckett slurped her drink through her straw, hit bottom. 'I need a refill. Oh, after, of course, Meredeth's turn. I'm hearing way too much about my favourite two-headed monster tonight but then again, I'm dishing on Castle so fair's fair's fair's..fair.'

'That's four fairs, Katie,' Lili pointed out.

'And there's four of you. Ahem, Meredeth?'

Meredeth furrowed her brow in concentration. 'Javi is...a chameleon.'

'Because he's got a long tongue and knows how to use it?' Lanie asked automatically.

'Not just that, but it's like...changes all the time. Our sex is like snowflakes.'

'You're thinking about snowflake chameleons when your man's drilling you until you call out for Jesus?' Honey-Milk asked, confused.

'No, I usually can't think. I mean like...no two times with him are ever the same. Like snowflakes, and like a chameleon, always changing it up so it doesn't get boring. Though I doubt it could ever get boring with him. Even when we're old and grey, and my boobs are hitting my knees and he needs to pop the little blue pills just for a one-timer, it won't be boring.' Meredeth snorted. 'I'm thinking this is a great bachelorette night itself right here. No need whatsoever for more.'

'Bite your tongue, tomorrow we're going to see some leaping young stags in little or no clothing,' Honey-Milk said dreamily. 'Lanie, new question, no mushy tonight.'

'Question sixty-nine. Heehee, sixty-nine. What is your perfect sex fantasy with your guy?'

At this one, Beckett reached over and poked Meredeth in the forehead. 'Mere, I wanna hear about that interrogation room thing and no details spared.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	49. The Bachelorette Party B

The following morning, Meredeth awoke feeling far less hungover than she should have. Then again, before she went to bed, she'd downed her own body weight in Gatorade; she'd been climbing around with the brass monkeys and had such a grand old time when they'd swapped her hard liquor for electrolytes she hadn't really noticed.

She rolled to her back, and saw that she'd been tucked into Castle's bed beside her maid of honour, who'd found a stuffed giraffe and tucked it under her arm. Grinning she poked Lanie in the shoulder and wasn't surprised when the petite woman curled up like a boiled shrimp, clutching the toy close to her chest.

'Go away baby,' she mumbled, blindly swatting at Meredeth's hand. 'Lemme sleep.'

'Pretty as you are, I'm way taken and not into girls.'

Lanie's eyes popped open, then squinted. 'Sorry, Mere, thought you were Dave.'

'I'm sure he's still out partying with the guys in Vegas, it's only-' Meredeth looked at the clock, calculated the time '-five thirty in the morning there.'

'He didn't go. Castle invited him, but he said it should be just the wedding party going, plus he had to pick up an extra two shifts this weekend to trade for the time off for the wedding.'

'Fair enough, though is he going to be jealous of your cuddle-buddy there?' Meredeth pointed to the giraffe.

'Oh, this is Twigs, he actually belongs to Alexis. How'd he even get in here?'

'You got me, I don't even remember coming upstairs last night.'

Lanie snorted, then stretched. 'Considering how much we drank last night, if we're all in one piece we're lucky.'

Just then, Lili appeared in the doorway, a breakfast tray in her hands, and far too chipper a grin on her face to be hanging out with a bunch of recovering lushes. She set the tray on the little sideboard that had been set up as an in-room breakfast nook. 'Morning _casi cunada_ and maid of honour. How are we feeling today?'

'Shut up,' was Lanie's automatic response. 'And _vamanos_ unless you have coffee.'

'Castle's private stash, along with fresh baked croissants, brie and Gouda, mixed berry salad, fresh raspberry jam, and orange juice since the lady of honour this weekend isn't a coffee drinker.'

'You're a saint. Santa Lucita.' Lanie set Twigs aside, swung her feet over the side of the bed. 'Are they here yet?'

'Who?' Meredeth asked, going over to select a croissant and scooping fruit into a small bowl.

'No, no, nosy one. More surprises today.'

'Come on, I played along when you brought the Avon lady of vibrators around last night.' Meredeth coloured in the cheeks a little at the memory of seeing her fellow professional women actually making purchases. Oh the stories she could write on that hour and a half alone.

'It still surprises me a little, Mere, that for all your naughtiness with my brother, you never actually owned anything like that,' Lili commented casually.

'Are you kidding me? I don't even like using tampons. No, unless it has a chance of getting me pregnant it's not going anywhere near my southern smile. Doctor's office is different, 'cause there's nothing sexy about cold jelly on a metal-'

'Okay, okay, I got it.' Lili giggled, glanced over when she saw Honey-Milk at the door. 'Hey, look who's up and around.'

'Coffee. Hit me.'

'Come and get it.'

Honey-Milk staggered into the room, plunked herself on the end of the bed as Lili placed a steaming mug of cream-dosed coffee into her waiting hands. 'Meredeth, I should have followed your lead, I shoulda switched off last night when I couldn't tell the difference between sting-rays and straight sours mix.'

'What were the sting-rays again?' Lanie asked, popping a blackberry in her mouth.

'Tequila, gin, blue curacao, green sour puss.'

'Oh yeah.'

They kept the conversation minimal for the next twenty minutes as they let the food and caffeine do its magic, then filed off for showers two at a time - one to Castle's ensuite, the other to the guest bath. By the time they were dressed and somewhat perkier, they made their way downstairs; Meredeth stopped on the landing as she looked around Castle's living room: the remnants of their drunken night before had been cleared away as if by magic, and replaced with four padded chairs and a masseuse's table. The attendants were setting up their stations under Beckett's orders, as she stood amongst the various rolling-foot carts.

'Yes, let's keep hands and toes together, and the facials near the island, since there's more space.'

'What's all this?' Descending the rest of the stairs, Meredeth crossed over to Beckett, who turned and gave her a sweet, if tired, smile.

'Part two of your bachelorette weekend. Last night was Honey-Milk, this one is me and Lili. We poached some of the staff from the Waldorf's day spa for a day of total indulgence. Massages, facials, mani-pedis, the works so when we hit the town tonight, we are hitting it in top style.'

'Wow.' Meredeth felt her throat slam shut. She and Beckett had been friends, but not the kind of close friends she and Lanie were; for the detective to be this generous wasn't something she'd have expected. 'This is too much, Kate, really.'

Beckett simply shook her head. 'Meredeth, I've worked with him for a while now, seen him go through a girlfriend or two, but there wasn't anyone who lights him up like you do. He gets that goofy little smile on his face any time you text him or call, and brags about what he's going home to after he's off shift. Before you were living together, we knew every morning or night when he'd been with you because he'd be so damn cheery, or cranky that he had to leave you.'

'Aw.'

'Gil Mazzara in a dress,' Beckett added hastily when she saw the glossy sheen of tears in Meredeth's eyes; it left as quickly as it cropped up. 'That is my task on your wedding day. Funny stories so you don't cry.'

'We're all set up here.' One of the technicians came up to them, gestured to the mini salon that had been erected in the living room. 'You are the bride to be?' she asked Meredeth.

'Yes.'

'Excellent. We will begin your treatment with the massage over here, so if you could disrobe behind the partition and use one of the towels, we'll get started.'

A few minutes later, Meredeth had changed out of her clothes into the Egyptian cotton towel and was lying face down on the massage table. The same woman who'd approached Beckett earlier squeezed some thin warm liquid into her hands and began to rub it over Meredeth's tired muscles; almost immediately, Meredeth felt the zing to her blood.

'That's coconut oil, isn't it?'

'A blend along with almond and papaya extracts, why?'

'My man and I use it for massages too.'

* * *

The day of pampered relaxation was exactly the right cure for a hangover like the ones the five were sporting. Between getting her hair done - no colours, just a healthy hot oil and organic shampoo rinse - and her fingers and toes - clear coats for both to avoid obvious chips - by the time she got to the mud mask facial she was certain her feet weren't hitting the floor. Even as she'd had her feet pumiced and rubbed down, she'd heard Lili snoring away as she got her massage.

'Wonder how Cam sleeps beside that,' Lanie asked on a yawn. 'I snore, but I also bought Dave noise-canceling ear thingies so he won't be up at night.'

'According to Javi, I don't snore, I just breathe really heavily. He snores, so I think it runs in the family.'

Lanie chuckled, sighed deeply. 'I'm so excited for you, baby girl. You too are going to have so much fun being married.'

'If he survives the honey-moon. I've got quite the stock of saucy lingerie from last night and the shower too, plus some things I've gotten for myself to show off for him.'

'Okay, no more talking unless you want a mouthful of mud,' the technician chided as she smeared the hot paste onto Meredeth's skin. 'You'll look radiant.'

'Good, that gives me time to talk. We're going to be taking you out on the town tonight missy. If you don't want to do Suck-A-Buck I understand, but like it or not we're seeing gorgeous stacked men getting naked tonight.'

'Suck-A-Buck isn't really my thing, but I do like drinking games and naked men. Or at least, one naked man.'

'Drinking games and naked men it is.' Lanie looked over to see Honey-Milk and Beckett finishing up with their nail-jobs. 'You hear that? No Suck-a-Buck but drinking games and naked men are a go.'

From her place on the padded table, Lili hollered, 'Huzzah for naked men!'

* * *

By eight pm, they'd all showered and styled and primped and preened, and were ready to hit the town. As Lili couldn't drink, she was placed in charge of the camera and wallets, which were collectively put into her hand-bag; once again as the final touch, the ever popular princess crown was put on Meredeth's head.

'Okay,' Lili held up the camera to get a self-group shot. 'Everyone say naked men!'

'Naked men!'

Meredeth giggled as she blinked away the lights dancing in front of her eyes. It was going to be one hell of a party.

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	50. The Bachelor Party B

'Any idea where he's taking us?'

'C'mon bro, you know we're going to see strippers.'

'Kev, it's Castle, since when is anything in a straight line with him?'

Ryan considered this. 'That's very true You want a drink while we wait for them?'

Esposito shook his head. Since the poker game the night before, he was fairly certain he'd drunk enough liquor to sink a battleship, and had come out the other side of the poker hand four hundred dollars richer. It had been more than winning the money, though, it had been the camaraderie of it all - watching Cam use his actual battle face in order to fake out the rest of them, Gil puffing hard on his Cuban when he was losing his shirt, Ryan drumming his fingers when he thought he had the winning hand.

The following morning had been spent in the casinos, and all had won something, with the highest being Gil who scored almost eight hundred on a roll of the roulette wheel and the lowest being Ryan who took eight dollars in nickles from a slot machine. Still, as Castle had pointed out leaving with more money than you had going in counted for something whether it was eight or eight hundred, as they'd gotten their tickets for the afternoon cabaret at the Tropicana - topless, natch. They'd enjoyed the splendorous and gratuitous shimmying of the show girls on stage in little more than sequins, feathers and headdresses, leaving them to debate just what the difference was between the women who paraded in a chorus line half naked and the women who skinned down in a club to the bump and grind of Motley Crue and the Pussy-Cat Dolls.

He'd broken down and called Meredeth when he'd gotten back to the suite for a quick power-down, cashing in call number two, and had caught her just before she'd left Castle's apartment for her night out; damn time difference was screwing him up. Esposito pressed number one speed dial, felt his nerves unwind a little when he heard Meredeth. 'Hey almost-wife.'

'Hey almost-hubby. You on your way to see girls with daddy issues get naked?'

'Dinner first, then debauchery. Listen, I just wanted to say love you and have fun with your girls tonight, okay?'

'Absolutely, love you too and have fun with Castle's wild night.'

'I gotta run. I'll see you tomorrow.'

'See you soon.'

Esposito had barely hung up before he was all but hot-footed out of the suite by Ryan so as not to be late for dinner at the Caesar's Palace steakhouse, after which they'd enjoyed cognac and cigars by the Bellagio fountain. By nine o'clock, Castle declared phase two of man-weekend underway, telling them to dress comfortably but nicely and be sure to have lots of small bills in their wallets. All the men, despite the fact they were all either married or in serious relationships, knew what this combination meant.

They regrouped in the lobby, feeling a little like the Rat Pack. Castle, dapper as ever in his blue shirt and pants, spread his arms wide like the Godfather waiting for respect as he met them at the front doors of the Venetian. Before they stepped outside, Castle turned to them.

'This place is so exclusive, it isn't even open to the public yet. Because I happen to have certain notoriety, particularly in a town like this, this place is only full of high-rollers. We've got table service so the only cash handed over is to the ladies doing all that hard work to keep us horny perverts entertained. Now, time is of the essence so if you could all board the bus, we'll be on our way.'

The guys looked at each other in confusion until the stepped out to the valet area, where they all dropped their jaws. A sleek and streamlined bus painted bright silver with the words 'Glitterotica' on the side was waiting for them; by the door were two women in small silver skirt and bikini tops, brushes and pots of iridescent paint in their hands.

'Hello, I'm Amber and this is Crystal,' the one on the left said in a purr that had Esposito momentarily aching for Meredeth. 'Which one is the groom?'

'This guy,' Ryan said, gaping a little as he shoved Esposito forward. 'This is the lucky bastard marrying the love of his life.'

'Congratulations.' Amber stepped closer to him, doodled a wedding bell on his cheek in silver paint. 'I'm sure you will be very happy together. I just celebrated my two years with my husband.'

'Congrats back.'

'If you'll board please, we'll finish taking care of your friends and head out.'

* * *

Glitterotica did indeed live up to Castle's hype - it was not the sleazy dive seen in _Show Girls_ but a very artistically presented strip club. Along the entrance hallway were windows with moving art of men and women living up to the name, painted in glittering iridescent body paint and erotically posed. As they were escorted to the 'showroom' as it was termed Esposito knew he'd been spoiled for life by Castle's high-dollar style, for the stage was indeed a stage, with three silver poles strategically placed and lit up with black light so the women literally glowed as they stripped down to their glitter-pasties.

The group was shown to their table by Ruby - apparently all the staff minus the stage talent went by jewel names - and served almost instantly with a round of drinks on the house; they took their seats so they had a front row view of all that naked female wonder, as the first whole act they caught were two nubile young things tracing lemon yellow sparkles over each other to the strains of Billy Squire's 'The Stroke'.

Two hours later, as Esposito finished his drink and was pleasantly buzzed, he watched the way the nearly naked stripper gyrated in time to Peter Gabriel's 'Sledgehammer' and absently though of how her hip tattoo reminded him of Meredeth's. As much fun as he was having, he hated knowing at the end of the night, he'd be sleeping it off beside his best friend in a five-diamond hotel suite rather than in his own bed with his sexy love goddess. Seeing all that nudity put him in a creative mind of some new tricks to try with Meredeth. Still, he wasn't so far gone that he couldn't see the rather-stunning rack of the woman now down to her clear heels and green g-string.

'Get this boy another drink. He's got that look again.'

Esposito glanced over - beside him sat Castle, comfortably drunk, and Ryan, half-plastered off his ass.

'What look?'

'The missing-Meredeth look.'

'Can't blame him. Girl's a tomcat in the sack. Ain't that right, Javier?'

Esposito fought the urge to tie Ryan's tongue in a knot; whenever he drank two things happened: he turned into a horny adolescent and his mouth ran away from him, and tonight was no exception.

'I'm not telling you about my dirty sex with Meredeth. We didn't do that to you when you got married.'

'That's because there was no bachelor party for Eloper McGee here,' Castle gestured to the waitress and passed her a couple of twenties as she set the tray on the table. 'Dude, it's your bachelor party, no better place for dirty stories,' he pointed out, choosing three shots of tequila off the tray and passing them around. 'Come on, we're your brothers. She into the Kama Sutra or does she like original works?'

'Nah, I bet she likes to play dress-up. Naughty girl in the principal's office is my numero uno guess.'

Castle pursed his lips. 'I could see her digging a little Lady Irina-style action, maybe some light bondage with satin ropes or velvet handcuffs.'

'Actually they're wrapped in silk.' Esposito tossed back his shot, grabbed another off the tray and pounded it back. If he was going to talk about this stuff, he'd damn well need some liquid courage. Because his eyes were squeezed shut at the sting of the alcohol, he missed Ryan and Castle's nearly popping out of their heads.

'You wanna say that again bro?'

'Hey, you told me to share.'

Ryan furrowed his brow. 'Are they yours from work?'

'Silk-wrapped handcuffs,' Castle mused, passing a couple of bills to the dancer who'd finished her routine.

'That's impressive. So, what you hand-cuff her to the headboard or just make sure she can't touch?'

'Other way around, Castle.'

'She had you all trussed up?'

'Then she gave me a coconut oil massage and a blowjob before banging my brains out. One of the best nights I ever had with her.'

Castle let out a low whistle and Ryan applauded drunkenly. 'Was that the night I called and you said you were a little tied up?'

'Yeah.'

'Nice, bro.'

'Any other private details you wanna grease out of me?'

'Yeah, actually, this one's been bugging me.' Ryan leaned forward now, elbows grinding into the atrociously small table. 'That scene in the book where Tonio eats the chocolate off Tabitha's body, did you guys-?'

'Oh yeah, couple of times.'

'See I told you.' Castle hit Ryan in the arm, nearly sent him to the floor. 'Looks like I got you guys the wrong wedding gift. I should have take a trip to Dungeon Alley, done a little shopping there.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	51. The Bachelorette Party C

_So we're picking up on the other side of the phone conversation when Esposito is in his hotel suite using 'call number 2' of his permitted three in Vegas. Enjoy!_

* * *

'Listen, I just wanted to say love you and have fun with your girls tonight, okay?'

'Absolutely, love you too and have fun with Castle's wild night.'

'I gotta run. I'll see you tomorrow.'

'See you soon.' Meredeth hung up her call from her beloved, then settled back into the cab. 'So where are we going?'

'You're way too nosy.'

Knowing it was wiser to shut up, Meredeth did so and instead watched the bright lights of the city zip past. Because she was equally parts randy and romantic tonight, she tried to guess how many couples were on their first date and how many were getting up to the get-down, as she always liked to say.

They ended up somewhere on Loisaida Avenue, in front of a non-descript building that could easily have been mistaken for a three-rise of offices. There was a minimalist sign that discreetly labeled the building 'The Grindhouse' and a bouncer who looked like he could have easily been a former sumo champion outside the blacked-out doors. Meredeth felt a little rush in her stomach as they hopped out of the cab, she still in her silly tiara with an added veil over her hair to make sure they knew she was the bride-to-be of the night.

'Hey Lili,' the sumo bouncer greeted her with a friendly, familiar smile, making the rest of the girls raise their eyebrows. 'How's your man doing?'

'Good. He's out in Vegas for the other half of this bachelor and bachelorette send-off.'

'Be sure to tell him I said hey. You ready for some hard bodies?'

'Oh yeah.'

He took out his felt pen, marked their hands with little V's then held the door open. 'Enjoy your night ladies.'

'Talk,' Meredeth said as soon as they were inside by the coatcheck. 'How do you know Mount Fuji back there?'

'Oh, he was Cam's neighbour before we moved in together. They'd take the same subway when Cam was on nights and he'd keep an ear on things for him when Cam stayed with me.'

Lanie shook her head. 'Now enough of that. We aren't here to coo over our boys, we're here to drool over them.'

She pointed to the wide T-shaped stage were there was a chorus of men performing some kind of erotic end-zone dance in little more than string and smiles, and they were indeed hard-bodied.

'Hello grade-A western beef,' Honey-Milk breathed. 'Oh, can't I take one of them home, Mom, please? I'll feed it and play with it and love it forever.'

'We don't adopt circus animals, Jenny-dear,' Beckett reminded her as they made their way to a table at the crook of the T. 'Remember cute little tiger-cubs grow up to be man-eaters.'

The waiter approached them in tight black shorts and vest with no shirt, an impossibly built mixed-race man with buns so tight Meredeth was certain a quarter would bounce three feet off of them. 'Welcome to the Grindhouse, ladies. I see we have a bride in the house tonight,' he said with a saucy wink at Meredeth. 'How long until the big day?'

'Next Friday,' Lanie supplied. 'We'll take a few pitchers of sting-rays, a round of beers, and keep the test-tubes coming. Oh and she's our designated driver,' she added, pointing to Lili, 'so only the soft stuff for her.'

'You got it.'

As Waiter McTight-Buns scuttled off, Lanie pulled a fat stack of dollar bills from her purse, passed them around the table. 'Nothing compliments a job well done like a tasteful tip,' she giggled. 'Just remember to wait until the end of the song, since they won't have any place to put our gratuity.'

'This is how a bachelorette party should be.' Lili crossed her knees, tipped back a little to get a good eyeful of the men on stage finishing up their performance. 'My girls, they assumed because I hadn't slept with Cam yet, I wouldn't want something like this so they just had a spa day and dinner with gifts, and some dancing. You ladies, you really know how to throw it down.'

'I didn't have one at all, Lili, so you've still got that leg up on me,' Honey-Milk pointed out, then cheered loudly along with the rest of the crowd as the men peeled away the banana hammocks they wore so they were one hundred percent skinned down. 'That one, two from the left, he reminds me of my man.'

Beckett's laugh was quick and sharp. 'Agreed.'

'How do you know what kind of tackle Detective Ryan's packing?' Lili asked, a little scandalized.

'April Fool's Day. After years of him getting us, we finally got him back, told him he was nominated as Mr. August for the NYPD calendar, and Castle took 'test photos' for him. His choice of Speedo left little to the imagination.'

McTight-Buns came back with the first round of their drinks, the pitchers of sting-rays in blue and green; Beckett poured the first round then glanced over as the waiter held out his hand. 'I can take a group photo of you, if you like.'

He did so, the women toasting the glasses as they grinned foolishly; when Lili got her camera back, she raised her glass of ginger-ale. 'Okay, to Meredeth, the sweetest, smartest, sexiest woman in New York, who's marrying the best brother anyone could ask for. Now, bring on the boys!'

* * *

'Okay, okay, I got one. Strangest place you guys ever had sex.'

'Drink!'

Meredeth tossed back the test-tube shot with abandon, giggled drunkenly while she looked around. The man on stage was ripping off the tear-away pants of his biker's costume; Beckett, who'd definitely been into the test-tubes, was actually on her feet and cheering, even dancing a little on the spot as 'Hot Stuff' pumped out of the club's speakers. 'Are we going to have to hose her down?'

'Meredeth, the question?' Lanie giggled; the bride was indeed snookered to high heaven, just as she'd intended her to be. 'Strangest place you and Esposito ever did it?'

'Did what?'

Honey-Milk passed around more test-tube shots. 'Had sex. Drink!'

They all tossed the candy-flavoured liquor back, threw the empty glasses back onto the centre of the table as Lili documented their antics with her camera; she'd been considerate enough to turn off the flash so they didn't go blind in the darkened club. Meredeth swiped at her chin, pondered it. 'Have to be on top of the washing machine.'

'The washing machine?' Lanie and Honey-Milk chorused.

'Yeah, I was sorting clothes and there he was when I turn' round gettin' all touchy-touchy and before I knew it, I was getting my own version of the spin cycle.'

'Excellent. My turn, my turn!' Honey-Milk all but bounced on her chair; when she drank she got super giddy and clearly this was no exception. 'Most awkward thing ever happened to you when you were having sex.'

'Did someone say sex? Drink!' Beckett, who'd given her second-last single to Mr Leather on stage, toddled up, slumped into the chair between Lanie and Lili and was handed a test-tube filled with neon pink liquid. 'I don't think there's very much alcohol in these. I've had a whole bunches and I can't feel a thing.'

'She's a detective, you know,' Lanie snorted; now was not the time to tell Beckett the reason she couldn't feel anything was because the test-tubes shots were actually doubles, owing to the size of the tubes and she'd been downing them like pop-rocks all night. 'Okay most awkward thing, go.'

'That's easy. Our eight months, we were really getting into it, but we forgot to close the door so Arturo couldn't wander in and when he did, he went right to the foot of the bed and licked Javi's instep. Poor Javi was so surprised he went-' Meredeth made a popping sound with her mouth '- a little sooner than either of us wanted him to. Oh, oh, look at this, there's something happening.'

They watched as a chair was brought to the centre of the stage, the lighting changing to blue and gold; a few seconds later the anouncer came to the middle of the stage, microphone in hand.

'We here at the Grindhouse always like a reason for a party, and I was told we have a bachelorette party here tonight, so can someone please point out to me where is Ms. Meredeth?'

'Right here!' Beckett hollered, hoisting Meredeth's arm like she was a prize fighter. 'She's right here, sir!'

'Meredeth, I'd like you to come up and have a seat here.' The announcer gestured to the chair.

She swayed a little on the spot but figured, what the hell, what was the worst that could happen? Adjusting her tiara, she climbed on stage and sat where she was told.

'What's your future hubby's name?'

'Javi.'

'And what's Javi do?'

'He's a cop.'

The announcer gave her a grin. 'Well, aren't you in luck, because we have our finest British bobbies here with a little help from Tom Jones to entertain you one last time.'

As the raunchy bluesy strains of 'You Can Leave Your Hat On' sounded over the speakers, Meredeth realized just what she was in for - a recreation of the famous striptease from _The Full Monty_.

From their place at their table, the rest of the women yelped in female delight. 'You know,' Beckett said, wrapping an arm around Honey-Milk and Lanie's shoulders while Lili recorded the performance with her camera, 'I think we may have just out-partied the guys.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	52. The Morning & Afternoon After

On Sunday morning, Esposito was awoken by the suite's ringing phone. With not much consideration for the consequences, he knee-capped Ryan with his foot.

'I'm up,' he grogged, clearly used to this kind of treatment.

'Dude, phone's on your side.'

'Right.' Rubbing a hand over his sand-papery eyes, Ryan picked up the receiver. 'Hello. Now we are. Okay. Okay. Right. See ya in a few.'

Esposito yawned, sat up to get his bearings. 'Castle?'

'Gil. We're having breakfast in their suite before we head to the airport for that de-_light-_ful nine am flight Castle booked for us.' Ryan punched up his pillow, rolled to his side. 'You can have the shower first, I hear you regenerate your liver better in your sleep.'

Ryan was back sawing them off before Esposito's feet even hit the floor.

Forty minutes later, with their luggage packed and air-port ready, a very hungover Esposito and a please-put-me-out-of-my-misery hungover Ryan arrived at the suite; the door was opened by a very puffy-eyed Cam.

'Morning,' he rasped, leaning a little more heavily on his cane than usual. 'How do you want your coffee?'

'Intravenously please.'

'Don't have my kit on me.' Cam settled into his chair in the banquette area of the Bella suite; beside him Gil had his head resting on his arms on the table as Ike poured a round of breakfast beverages from the room service cart that had been set up near-by. 'You hear from the girls at all?'

'Ryan abducted my cell, so no, I haven't. Why?'

'Shhh. No loud noises, no sudden movements. My head can't take it,' Gil mumbled from his prone position.

'Let's just say they might still be in bed when we arrive home this afternoon.'

'Oh?'

'Oh yeah.'

Esposito glanced over, saw Castle wander, freshly showered and far more chipper than the rest of them combined. 'How would you know?'

'My woman was drunk dialing me when we got in last night.' Being a gentleman, Castle left out the details of what his randy little Detective Lush described them doing if he'd been with her; even thinking about those made his pants feel a little too tight. 'They didn't roll in until almost four in the morning.'

'What did they do to my Mere?' Esposito asked, accepting the coffee from Ike.

'Are you going to tell her about our night out?'

As Esposito pondered this, Ike passed around plates heaped with bacon, eggs and potatoes. 'Eat up, boys. Nothing soaks up a hangover like pig grease. And flying on a full stomach is way easier.'

'Speaking of flying.' Castle shoveled in eggs, washed them down with bitter grapefruit juice before he reached in and passed Esposito an envelope. 'This is your gift from all of us.'

'Castle, no, I mean the weekend here was more than enough-'

'That was your bachelor weekend. This is the guys in your wedding party giving you a gift.'

Esposito slit the end of the envelope, shook out the airline brochures and stared, a little confused. 'This is airfare to New Zealand.'

'Yeah, I made a few calls, and we got you and your lady upgraded to first class for your honeymoon flights. If you're traveling that long you gotta do it in style.'

'I don't know what to say.' Esposito felt himself get a little choked up at their generosity. 'I-'

'Some day, and that day may never come, I may call on you to do a service for me,' Castle interrupted in a husky, nasal voice, scratching his jaw with his fingertips and nodding.

'Well, at least your Brando's better than your De Niro,' Ryan commented. 'More coffee, please.'

* * *

By the time they made it back to New York and Gil and Ike had gone their own ways home, the remaining four hopped in a cab to Castle's SoHo loft. As Castle unlocked the door, Esposito couldn't help but wonder just what kind of antics they'd treated his bride to on her bachelorette weekend.

'You don't think they'd do anything we didn't do, do you?' he asked as they filed into the apartment.

'I don't...know...about that...' Ryan said as the four men stopped short and looked around.

Three of the women were asleep in the living room - Lili on the couch with one leg hanging over the end arm, Honey-Milk ass-end up on the floor with a small army of pillows around her head and Lanie on the opposing couch with her arms flung across her face. There was leftover plates and pizza boxes strewn like wreckage amongst all of them, while over on the island there was a small army of glasses and bottles. Streamers and inexplicably white towels were intermingled with the army of shoes littering the foyer.

'Looks like we coulda stayed in the Big Apple and been just as entertained watching them throw down,' Cam commented, leaving his bags by the door as he wandered over to his wife. 'Lucita, my love, wakey wakey,' he murmured, shaking Lili's shoulder.

She snorted, a sound that was somewhere between a pull-start chainsaw and a growl as she squirmed. 'Cam? That you?'

'No, it's Shirley MacLaine.'

'Hi Shirley.' Lili knuckled her eyes, looked over the back of the couch and saw her brother and his friends looking around at the morning-after spoils of their party. 'Yes, we had a good time.'

'I should hope so with this kind of wreckage.'

'I hear men. Did the strippers follow us home?' From her spot on the floor, Honey-Milk popped up like a periscope and looked around, saw her husband. 'Kevin! You're here!'

Ryan could only stare at his bride. 'I think you might still be a little wasted, my darling.'

'Nuh-uh. Lili made us all drink Gatorade and eat pizza when we got home last night so we didn't go to sleep all tanked. No I think I'm just very, very light-headed,' she observed, bracing herself on the edge of the coffee-table as Ryan made his way over to her. 'We had a hell of a time.'

'I can see that.'

'Where might I find the guest of honour?' Esposito asked.

'And the hostess?' Castle added.

'Beckett's in Lexie's room, and Her Majesty the Princess Bride is sleeping it off in Castle's room.'

Esposito climbed the stairs, shoved open the door to the master-suite and grinned like a fool. Meredeth was indeed sleeping it off - buck-ass naked in Castle's bed. Normally he'd be through the roof furious to find his woman naked in another man's bed, but considered that it was just women in the house and Meredeth liked to sleep nude when she'd had a few cocktails. She was lying on her stomach, arms spread on either side on pillows and the sheets bunched around her hips, one long leg peeking out from under the sheets. Silent as a panther stalking its prey Esposito moved her left arm gently off the pillow, stretched out beside her; he laid his palm between her shoulder blades. She sighed deeply, turned her face toward him, then blinked her tired blue eyes open.

'Javi.'

'Hi baby.'

'Time-zit?'

'Almost four in the afternoon.'

'Kay.' She snuggled closer, tapped his forehead lightly with her finger. 'How many strip clubs did you go to?'

'Just one, but a very high class looking-only one. What about you?'

'It was also looking-only, but not very classy. Mostly, I just had a great time out with the girls.'

'The same, only with the guys. Hey, guess what Castle and the boys gave us as a little wedding gift?'

'More candy-flavoured condoms?'

Esposito laughed; it was so good to be home. 'First-class airfare from Los Angeles to Wellington and back.'

'Oh, that's so sweet of them!' Meredeth rolled to her back, making the room spin. 'Oh, that's unpleasant. I drank two whole bottles of Gatorade and ate nearly a whole pizza to myself last night, and I still have a hangover.'

'I think I might have a cure for that.' Esposito stretched himself on top of her, kissed her deeply, even as she groaned a little.

'Javi, baby, I'm happy to see you too,' she mumbled, 'but I'm a mess. I'm hungover, I have bad breath, my make-up is smeared to shit.'

'And you're my Meredeth.' Esposito merely popped up off the bed, went to lock the door. When he came back to her, he nibbled on her lips, her throat, every bit of that soft skin he could reach before h e sat up to pull his shirt over his head. 'I was thinking about that _Dear Diary_ letter, the one with the guy coming home from a international business trip to find his wife waiting naked in their bed for him.'

'We're not at home, you were in Vegas and I was asleep.'

'But you were naked and that one trumps everything.' Esposito ran his hands over her body. 'I missed you.'

'I can tell.' Despite being hungover, Meredeth's heart fluttered into her belly a little as she moved her body to naturally cradled his. She felt herself go a little hot, then remembered where they were. 'Javi, really? Castle's bed?'

'Think of the look on his face when we tell him how you welcomed me home.'

Fifteen minutes later, Meredeth lay smiling in bed with her man on top of her, naked and breath whistling against her throat. 'Totally worth it.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	53. The Rehearsal Dinner

_So here it is! The start of the wedding arc to finish the fic off! Like I said, this is going to take a few chapters, as I want to include as much detail about the wedding as possible. Enjoy!_

* * *

It was August twenty-ninth, the day before the Big Day. Meredeth couldn't believe it was actually here, nor how she'd managed to get everything done in the last three and a half days while still trying to recover from the weekend. But they'd done it - gotten packed for their honeymoon, finalized the seating plan, gone over the last minute details with the caterers, with Rosalita for the cake, the venue co-ordinators. Her vows had long been composed, as had Esposito's, they had their gifts for each other bought and ready, all the clothes - both formal and casual - were neatly arranged. Even the co-ordination of the rooms for the wedding party were lined up like neat little ducks.

By the time they made it to the Park for the ceremony rehearsal, Meredeth was already starting to feel the nerves of anticipation. Less than twenty-four hours from now, she'd be here in her dress, everyone watching her and Esposito exchange their vows. As she stood by the stone railing, looking over the terrace, she felt her stomach do an excited gallop, threatening to revolt the veggie enchiladas she'd eaten with Esposito and Ryan for lunch.

'Whew,' she mumbled, dropping her chin to her chest and staring hard at the cracks in the sidewalk; alarmed, Lanie stepped closer and began rubbing her hand in soothing circles over Meredeth's back. Beside Lanie, Sloan, who was there and ready to photograph the rehearsal dinner looked concerned.

'Everything okay, Meredeth?'

'Yeah, I think she's just excited,' Lanie replied, to which Meredeth nodded in agreement as she stood up straight again.

'It's the first thing that goes to shit when I'm nervous, my stomach insists on voiding its contents. Which means if I don't eat breakfast tomorrow don't hold it against me or force me to eat something. The last thing I want is to have memories of throwing up on my wedding day.'

'You got it.' Lanie shoved her sunglasses to her head as the cab approached the curb, and Esposito and Ryan popped out. She watched with pride as Esposito, the stalwart New York homicide detective, strolled up to his beloved and greet her with a warm kiss. Had anyone told her two years ago that she'd been attending Javier Esposito's wedding, she'd have laughed in their faces. And yet, once he'd met Meredeth, everyone in their circle of friends - herself included - had practically begun picking out flowers and wedding gifts for them before they'd even been together a month. Even then it had been obvious that Esposito and Meredeth were crazy about each other and there would be no other for either of them. Because she was in such a happy mood, she gave Ryan a light peck on the cheek. 'Hey best man.'

'Hey maid of honour. Castle and Beckett are going to be a little late, they had to finish helping Alexis pack,' he added to Meredeth, who simply nodded.

'Father Paolo isn't going to be here until closer to six rather than five anyways,' she replied as another two cabs swung up, this time expelling Cam, Lili, Gil, Robina, Ike, Tim and TJ.

'Meredeth!' TJ in his unique style raced over to her and clamped his arms around her waist like crab pincers. 'I've been practicing with Tim, he's really cool. And Gil showed me how to tie my tie so I only have to do it once and it's good to go! But why do I have to wear purple?'

'Well, did you know that in the time of kings and queens, purple meant you were royalty because it was very expensive to dye purple clothes.'

'Really? That's cool.' TJ unlatched himself from Meredeth, and to her amazement bounced over and tugged on Gil's hand. 'C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! Let's go scare off the pigeons!'

'I have to hang up here, but you and Tim go ahead if you want.'

'Okay, Tim let's go!'

When the two boys scurried down the stairs, Gil wrapped his arm around Robina's waist. 'He's got a new big brother,' he commented, kissing her temple.

'I know. Congratulations, Mere and Javi,' Robina said, patting Gil's hand to let her go and hug her friends. 'This is going to be a great wedding.'

Meredeth's stomach lurched again in excitement. 'You have the rings to put on the pillows?'

'Yep, Ryan gave them to me before we left the hotel. They're ready to go. TJ is so excited. Every day he's been practicing walking down the aisle, and anytime someone asks what he's doing, he is so proud to tell them he's your ring-boy.'

'Quite the kid.' Esposito watched the two boys race around the fountain, pigeon hunting, remembered doing similar things with his cousins. He glanced over as two more cabs stopped by the terrace; Father Paolo emerged from the first one, while Castle, Beckett and to his delighted surprise Constance appeared from the second one.

'Momo!' Meredeth squealed, leaving her fiance and rushing over to her grandmother. 'You're early!'

'I couldn't miss this with you, _pige_.' Constance hugged Meredeth tightly, rocking back and forth. 'You and your man picked out a great spot for a wedding.'

Father Paolo clapped his hands together. 'Okay, we have everyone here now, for the rehearsal?'

'Yes, I believe we do.' Esposito looked around, counted the ten heads of the wedding party, plus Castle and the two ring-bearers. 'The only person not here is Carol Thornton, but she's still at work.'

'That's fine, we're not doing the full readings tonight, this is more about organizing people into position for tomorrow.'

'Oh, I talked to Sikorsky, he's got a bunch of his cadets doing their traffic detail for our security tomorrow,' Beckett added. 'They'll be ready in full uniform tomorrow.'

'Excellent. Then lets get this party started.'

* * *

They went through three rehearsals to get the timing and the placement of everyone right. As there wouldn't be any seating to worry about, it was more focused on who would stand where and make their entry at what times. Once they were certain they had everyone in place and comfortable with what they had to, they went back to the DeHeere Towers, where the rehearsal dinner had been set-up in a small private room - a made-to-order pasta bar with lots of green salad and baskets of lightly-herbed bread; no garlic so as not to give the wedding party halitosis before the big day. Because they knew everyone was so excited for the posh and fancy four-course dinner for the next day, Esposito had Meredeth kept the rehearsal dinner casual: good food, conversation, everyone just relaxing and decompressing before the next twenty-four hours. Sloan, of course, was documenting everything on her cameras and had even roped Alexis into assisting her. The young boys had been put in charge of watching over the speedy-but-tiny Dell and took great pride in such an important task and made sure he was happy and entertained so his parents could enjoy the night with their friends.

'Hey I have a question,' Lanie asked, taking her place beside Meredeth at a table near the food. 'Who's looking after Lili's little one since her mama and her daddy are both in the ceremony?'

'Rosalita. But Little Rosie's such a good baby, they're not concerned about it. They have a little pink dress for her to wear, just like her mom's, too, and they're decorating her pram with flowers.'

'And Dell?'

'Martha and Castle. Again, Dell's a really good boy and he's going to be wearing his little suit, I can just imagine how precious he's going to look.'

'What about-'

'Lanie.' Meredeth had to laugh as she chased bits of chicken and bowtie pasta around her bowl. 'If I didn't know better, I'd say you were more nervous than me.'

'Well, I just want everything to go smoothly, you know? You and Esposito love each other so much and you've put so much work into this, I'd just die or cry if something went kabluey.'

'If it makes you feel better, you want to go over the plan for tomorrow morning?'

'Okay.'

While Meredeth and Lanie reviewed their itinerary for the next morning, Esposito was on the small patio of the room with Castle and Ryan. Because he knew everyone would want a piece of him tomorrow at the reception, he wanted time alone with his two closest friends.

'If I don't say this tomorrow, thanks. For everything.'

'We're with you till the wheels fall off,' Ryan replied easily, forking up fusilli alfredo with pan-fried mushrooms. 'You've got everything arranged and Meredeth's going to look beautiful, and then tomorrow night it's going to be a hell of a party.'

'What he said,' Castle added; he couldn't have put it better himself. He polished off his capellini bolognaise, then smiled when he saw Meredeth wander out. 'We'll give you a few minutes with your bride.'

He and Ryan exited discreetly as Meredeth walked over, leaned against the rail and looked out at the city. Feeling playful, Esposito walked up beside her, nudged her in the elbow a little. 'So I must confess, I've had my eye on you all night. You free for a date tomorrow?'

'Can't, sorry. I'm getting married.'

'Oh? And who might this lucky bastard be, getting so fine a woman?'

'He's my Javi, and he's the best.' Meredeth turned, gave him a tender, heated kiss. 'I wanted to come and say goodnight, and maybe you could meet me in the Park, by Bethesda Terrace around two-ish tomorrow. I have something important to tell you.'

'As do I.' Esposito leaned in, gave her one last kiss. 'It's a date.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	54. The Groom's Morning

_Well, here we are! The big day! The next few chapters, like the bachelor and bachelorette parties, will go back and forth between simultaneous action. Pass the word and let's get some love for the homestretch!_

* * *

The following morning, Esposito was awake a full forty-five minutes before his scheduled wake-up call. As Ryan was the lightest sleeper he knew, he inched his way out from the queen-sized hotel bed, went to the mini-bar for a soft-drink. His stomach was twisting like a pit of snakes; he knew coffee would only make it worse so instead he opted for ginger-ale. It didn't have a caffeinated kick but he was certain he wasn't going to need one this morning.

It was his wedding day. He was getting married to the woman of his dreams.

Pouring the ginger-ale into a glass, all it took was the clinking of the cubes against the glass to have Ryan's eyes popping wide open.

'Happy wedding day, bro,' he said on a yawn, making Esposito pause with the glass half-way to his mouth.

'Okay, do you actually sleep or you just close your eyes and lie down for a long time?'

'Trust me, once you and Meredeth start making babies, you will sleep like a cat too.' Ryan wandered over to the table where his best friend sat. 'You want coffee?'

'No. Can't handle anything stronger than this right now.' Esposito drained his glass, crunched the ice cubes.

'Okay.'

Ryan's phone blip-blipped the tune of 'Chapel of Love', signaling an incoming text. 'Castle's on his way up, and he's bringing room service here with him. You need to eat something. Last thing Meredeth'll want to see is her hubby saying his 'I dos' on a sugar crash.'

'Right. I'm going to get a shower.'

'Don't forget, Gideon and Shosanna will be here at nine, so just soap down in the shower.'

Esposito would have rolled his eyes at Ryan's nagging, except that his head was focused on seeing Meredeth and getting his vows out without stuttering; he'd have gone through the automatic routine of shaving without a second thought. By the time he'd soaped up and rinsed down, and was dressed in comfortable pants and t-shirt to get his wedding-pampering done in, Castle, Gil and Cam had arrived along with the waiter pushing a heavily loaded room-service cart.

'There's the blushing bridegroom!' Castle walked over, gave Esposito a tight bear-hug before he discreetly and generously tipped the waiter after he'd finished setting up the food. 'Happy wedding day!'

'Thanks, Richard.'

'Wow, the whole first name. You must be a total basket case.'

'Getting there.'

'Well, you've got three married men, and two others with three ex-wives as your wedding party, so you're in good hands.' Castle went to the room service trolley, began to fix his friend a plate. 'We have poached or scrambled eggs, and eggs Florentine, which do you want?'

'Poached.'

'Bacon or sausage?'

'Bacon, like that's a question.'

'Wheat toast, and strawberries.' Castle filled a bowl with berries. 'Trust me, I speak from experience, those things are a natural laxative and you're going to want the plumbing flushed out today.'

'Disgusting but accurate,' Cam added, then held up his cane. 'Thought your lady would appreciate me using it for the first time on such a big day.'

Esposito knew they were trying to keep him occupied, and was thankful they were. He leaned over to admire the souvenir Meredeth had brought for Cam from her book tour - it was black-lacquered bamboo with a silver and pink floral paint-print, with a silver striking tip. 'Even matches Gil's tie.'

'Yeah, how come I got stuck with pink?' he groused, selecting two eggs Florentine and home-fries. 'What, periwinkle was taken?'

'How would you know what periwinkle is, bro?' Ike teased him, making Gil blush lightly. 'You taking art classes again?'

'It was the colour of the dresses for my first wedding.'

'Carol, she did it up like Meredeth did, multi-coloured. Since we got married in the fall, we went with harvest colours.'

'See at least you had a say in that kind of stuff. I got steamrolled a little when Lili was wedding planning,' Cam commented, dumping scrambled eggs and sausage onto his plate before smearing two slices of toast with peach jelly.

'You make it sound like she was Bride-zilla. You'd been in Iraq since January and only had a week furlough with her for the actual wedding, then had to fly back to war four days later instead of going on your honeymoon,' Castle pointed out. 'Now, my first wife, the evil Meredith, with an I-T-H, she was Bride-zilla to the max. I still have nightmares of going into floral shops and watching the clerks freak out like terrified Japanese tourists.'

'Is that the one you had in the break-room when you woke up screaming 'Not the lilacs?' Ryan asked, chuckling.

'No, no, bro.' Ike wagged a finger at Ryan. 'You eloped and your friends threw you a party after the fact. You don't get to laugh until you've been through the nightmare of wedding planning.'

'Meredeth and I planned in reverse,' Esposito said, washing down the last of his breakfast with very pulpy orange juice, began to feel the strawberries working their magic on him already. Either that or he was a hell of a lot more nervous than he'd thought. 'We narrowed things down from what we didn't want.'

'Hey if that makes your lady and you equally happy, go nuts.'

There was a light knock on the door; Ryan answered it to find his own lovely bride there, dressed in her summer-weight clothes and holding Dell in her arms, already dressed in his little suit.

'Hey, hey,' Castle called, seeing who it was, 'no girls allowed here today.'

'I'm a chaperon for this guy,' she called back, jiggling the smiling Dell on her hip. 'He wanted to come by and wish Javier a happy wedding.'

Esposito shoved his chair away from the table, held out his arms as Dell toddled over, arms stretched up; obliging him, Esposito put the tyke on his knee.

'I fanny,' he declared patting his little chest.

'Yes you're lookin' good there little bro.'

'Yea Hoppy,' Dell said, tipping himself against Esposito's much larger chest in a hug. 'Hoppy, hoppy.'

'Okay, that's enough, little man.' Honey-Milk scooped her son back up, gave Ryan a kiss. 'I'm delivering this little guy to Martha and then I'm going up to see the bride.'

She turned to leave, and nearly ran into a short wiry man with a leather satchel in one hand and a hard-shell suitcase in the other, almost knocking him the dark-haired girl behind him. 'Oh, sorry, sir,' she apologized before breezing away.

'Gideon!' Castle was at the door, shaking the small man's hand vigorously. 'Glad you could make it.'

'Well, when Richard Castle asks a favour, he usually has a good reason. I brought Shosanna with me, otherwise we'd be here all day. I'm taking care of the groom, best man and you, she'll do the other three,' he declared, walking in and setting his bags on the coffee table. 'Where's the man of the day?'

'That'd be me.' Esposito cautiously raised his hand like a schoolboy.

'Over here, young man.' Gideon pulled out the padded chair, took out his filigreed silver straight razors saved only for special occasions as Esposito sat down. 'These beauties they bring good luck.'

'Really?'

'Oh yes.' Gideon pulled out one of his hot cotton towels from the thermal-pack, began to pat down the groom's cheeks. 'They were a wedding present from my Miriam and we've been married forty-one years in November, and we've got four children, sixteen grandchildren and two greats to our name. Even now, though we're wrinkled as raisins, I still see that glint in her eye that reminds me of all the reasons I love her. From the stories Castle's told me about you and Meredeth, these will just be a little frosting for you.'

* * *

Four hours later, freshly shaved and patted down with his special-occasion aftershave, Esposito slipped on his tuxedo jacket, adjusted his vest as he looked in the mirror. He looked like a movie star, he though, smooth-shaven and crisp as a new dollar bill. He walked out of the bathroom, saw the rest of the men in their tuxes and Ryan attaching yellow tulip boutonnieres to the men's jackets.

'How do I look?' he asked the room.

They all gave him a rousing round of applause; Ryan stepped over, a yellow rose on his lapel and a little white florist box in his hands. 'Here.' He fixed the white rose onto Esposito's lapel. 'Now you look ready to marry Meredeth.'

'I can't wait to see her in her dress.'

'Are you kidding, it's Meredeth. She could be wearing a paper bag and you'd think she's hot,' Cam reminded his brother-in-law.

'Thanks for everything Gideon,' Castle said, as the barber packed up his tools. 'Hey, one last thing before you go, can you take a picture of all of us?'

'Absolutely.'

They gathered around Esposito, all crooking their elbows to flex their muscles for the photo. Gideon had just snapped the fourth frame on Castle's digital camera when the hotel phone rang, jangling like coins dropped on a tile floor. Because he was closest, Cam picked up the call. 'Hello. Yep. Okay, we'll be down shortly. The towncars are here,' he said after hanging up. 'Let's rock n' roll boys.'

'And that's my cue to head upstairs to the ladies,' Castle added, then slapped Esposito on the back. 'See you at the altar, bro.'

Esposito felt his stomach flutter in excitement. This was it. This was his wedding day.

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	55. The Bridal Suite

On Friday morning, Meredeth awoke in the honeymoon suite, the grin already plastered to her face.

It was her wedding day. She was marrying the love of her life today.

She stretched, and turning saw sitting up in the bed beside her Lanie; the petite doctor was already awake and grinning. 'Happy wedding day!'

'Oh my god, it's here!'

Lanie clapped her hands excitedly. 'I've already called room service, our breakfast will be here shortly. I also checked in with the banquet co-ordinators and the penthouse terrace looks fabulous. The weather is going to be warm but not humid, with a high of eighty-two and not a cloud in the sky all day. Also Moira and Damon called, they will be here promptly at nine, and Sloan should be here any time.'

Meredeth stretched, sat up. 'Thank you so much, Lanie. Really, everything's been just insane and wonderful leading up to today, and I know I wouldn't have gotten through it without you helping me.'

'Yes you would ahve because you're a smart woman. The real question is, would you have had this much fun and this little stress?'

'Not at all,' Meredeth grinned.

There was a knock on the door, and as Lanie was more suitably dressed in her shorts and t-shirts to answer it, Meredeth slipped into the bathroom and studied herself in the mirror. It was her wedding day, she thought with a goofy grin. Her wedding day, she was about to make her promise in front of her friends and family to the man she loved that she'd love him forever, whether he was making her laugh or want to throw something at him. Cautiously she pressed a hand to her stomach, felt no anxiety there, just the excited flutter of joy.

When she came out, she saw the breakfast cart had arrived and included a few extra deliveries along with the food - Honey-Milk and Beckett both sat at the suite's kitchen table while Lili and Sloan chatted on the couch. All of them cheered when they saw Meredeth on her feet and joining them for breakfast.

'There's the bride to be!' Honey-Milk crowed. 'Congratulations, Mere, oh this is going to be so beautiful!'

'How's Javi doing?'

'Ryan said he's nervous about his vows but more than anything he just wants to see you in your dress.'

Meredeth's eyes welled up, but the tears evaporated as she heard the pop of a champagne cork. She looked over to where Lanie stood with plates of wheat toast, fruit and light cheese, along with a huge box of cereal and three wide pitchers of orange juice.

'This stuff will clean you right out. My friend Anya, who I was a bridesmaid for, she ate nothing but All-Bran for the week leading up to her wedding so that when it came to the big morning, she had her pipes cleaned right out.' Lanie poured bubbly with a flourish into four glasses, added orange juice and poured a straight glass for Lili. 'And because it's your wedding day, Mere, we're having mimosas along with the high-fibre morning.'

'That's kinda gross, Lanie,' Beckett commented as she selected melon slices for her plate.

'Mere, do you want to be standing in your dress at Bethesda Terrace on the most romantic day of your life and have your only thought be 'I really need to go number two right now'?'

Meredeth shook her head. 'Nope, I only want to think about my vows and not tripping on the stairs.'

'Well you'll have Castle escorting you so that won't be a problem. Now eat your pooping-cereal.'

She did so dutifully under Lanie's watchful eye, and sure enough, halfway through her shower, felt the lower-belly rumble. _Always trust the doctor_, Meredeth thought, as she finished up her bathroom routine and toweling her hair dry, then stepped into the main bedroom of the honeymoon suite, Lanie slipping in discreetly to help her with her lingerie.

'This isn't the same as your trousseau, is it girl?' Lanie asking, helping Meredeth into the body-fitting bustier.

'No, no, that's completely different. This is just my shape-wear so my body looks amazing in my dress.'

'You know you could wear a shower curtain and he'd think you look hot.'

When she was sufficiently dressed and her kimono covering up the skin only meant for Esposito's eyes, she went into the parlour area of the suite and was equal parts relieved and excited to see Moira and Damon setting up their tools, along with Fatima the make-up artist unpacking her kit of paints and powders and polishes.

'Okay, Moira is doing the bride and the maid of honour, I'm doing the other three bridesmaids,' Damon explained, 'and Fatima will be doing your faces and nails.'

Meredeth sat down and for a moment, felt like the most special woman in the world. She closed her eyes as Moira combed through her damp hair with the styling products they'd decided upon weeks earlier, felt one of her hands get picked up. 'This must be how movie stars roll,' she commented.

'And just think, on Sunday, you get to do this all again for the Emmys,' Lili sighed as Damon began to use his straightening iron on her hair.

This time Meredeth did feel a bubble in her stomach. She'd been so caught up with her wedding day she'd almost forgotten the fact that in two days, she'd be married and appearing at one of Hollywood's biggest awards shows with her new husband. Thankfully, Lanie stepped in, passed Meredeth a glass of water.

'No, no, that's too far away to think about right now. Today is just about Meredeth and Javier's wedding.'

* * *

By quarter to one, an hour and fifteen minutes before the ceremony was set to begin, Meredeth stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bridal lingerie, taking stock. She'd opted for the full white bustier and body-teddy so to keep her curves in the right places under her dress, along with the attached white garters. Her stockings were nude and she'd slipped on the beautiful blue and white lace garter from Lili to the highest point of her right thigh, the other ceremonial one two inches above the knee. Her make-up was absolutely divine - light shimmering eyes, easy on the liner, bronzer on the cheeks and T-zone, and full, lush juicy-ruby lips. Her hair was a weave of wide braids horizontally on her head, then an explosion of curls at the crown, so when Beckett slipped on the beautiful borrowed veil it looked like the applique roses were anchoring the riotus waves as the silk fell to the base of her spine.

'He's going to stop breathing,' Beckett told her, wrapping her arms around Meredeth in a gentle hug. 'I've never seen a more beautiful bride.'

She glanced over, saw Lanie come in with the dress, followed Honey-Milk with the floral boxes containing their flowers, Lili with their shoes and Sloan snapping pictures galore. The women, all in their fruit-coloured silk finery, watched as Lanie helped Meredeth into her dress, zipped up the magnolia satin and sniffled a little as she slipped on her shoes. When Meredeth saw herself in the mirror, she felt the tears spring into her eyes when she whispered, 'I'm a bride, Mama.'

'Ryan reads my Cosmo magazines in the bathtub,' Honey-Milk blurted out, remembering the deal - outlandish true-or-not stories about the other women's significant others would keep Meredeth from crying. As expected, it did the trick and Meredeth was laughing instead of crying.

'He does, doens't he?'

'Nope, not saying.'

Meredeth picked up the hem of her skirt to walk into the parlour for more pictures with her girls when a knock on the door sounded; it was answered by Sloan and she felt her heart bump extra hard when she saw Castle in his tuxedo. 'Hi Mr. Castle.'

'Hey Sloan, I...wow.' Castle felt all the spit in his mouth dry up as he first saw his lovely Kate in the coral dress, then Meredeth, radiant as a sun in her dress. 'You look like an angel, Meredeth.'

'Thanks Richard. Or should I call you Dad today?' she asked with a giggle.

'I just came to let you know the men left for Central Park in the limo about ten minutes, and the ring-bearers are with Robina downstairs. Ryan's going to text me when they get to the park so they can greet everyone and make sure the cadets are in place for security.' He stepped over to give Beckett a warm kiss on the cheek. 'I'm not smudging that paint job and having an angry make-up artist come at me with blue-eye liner.'

'Hey, how come Constance wasn't up here with you?'

'I asked her, and she said it wasn't her place. She wants it to be my day with my friends.' Meredeth felt her eyes well again, then pointed at Lili. 'Say something.'

'Cam gets pedicures.'

'Thank you.' Meredeth breathed deeply, then explained off of Castle's 'what the hell was that' look, 'Any time I think I'm going to cry, they tell me something silly about their boys so I don't gush with the water works.'

'Ah.'

Castle's cellphone beeped out the tune of 'Chapel of Love', read the incoming text. 'They're there. That's our signal.'

'Oh God. This is it.' Meredeth looked around excited at her girls. 'This is really happening.'

'You nervous?' Lanie asked, picking up the floral boxes containing the bouquets.

'No, just excited.' Meredeth grinned. 'I'm getting married.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	56. The Arrival

It was a perfect afternoon for a Central Park wedding. The late August air was sweet with the scent of freshly cut grass, one of nature's most perfect perfumes. As promised there wasn't a cloud in the sky; it was so blue, in fact, it looked like a high domed ceiling. Bethesda Terrace had been roped off discreetly with the words 'Private Function in Progress' on the signs, as NYPD cadets and patrol officers redirected both auto and foot traffic. Far away in the distance were the sounds of the city, but here, in this little fairy tale bubble of magic, there was the quiet run of the fountain's water and the occasional interrupting chickadee.

Father Paolo had arrived and set up the small altar, along with the table covered in white for signing the registry. He was in his finest summer robes, but Esposito knew that underneath his fine formal religious wear was a Knicks key-fob attached to his belt for good luck. The guests had begun arriving as well, each one being escorted by the ushers down the stairs so that the small but excited wedding audience had time to relax in the cool shady glen the trees surrounding the fountain provided. Everyone cooed over the babies, especially little Rosie who was in a pink tunic the same colour as her mother's dress and Dell in his little suit a small daisy in his buttonhole; ever the flirt, he offered his 'fower' for a sniff to anyone who looked like his mother.

Esposito saw his parents arrive, his mother in a beautiful parrot-blue cotton dress and her finest Spanish silver jewelery. Any other place she would have probably been deemed 'tacky' and 'over the top' but here, today, she just fit right in. Constance, too, was in a beautiful peach sundress, and Esposito couldn't help but laugh when he saw her, his mother and Martha Rogers all don silly wide-brimmed white straw hats for Sloan to take her pictures of the mothers of the bride and groom.

He saw his father approach him, jaw set in such a way Esposito knew meant he was trying to hold himself together little a little dignity.

'Javier, I am so proud of you,' Alejandro said gruffly. 'She's a good woman and I've never seen you as happy in your life as when you're with her.'

'Thanks Papa.'

'And you know that your wedding night is about romance and not-'

'Okay, Papa, I know,' Esposito hastily cut his father off so he wouldn't be facing his Meredeth with cheeks so pink she'd think he was sunburned.

'I better go take care of your mother before she turns into a real basket case. She already soaked one of my handkerchiefs in the car on the ride over here.'

Down by the fountain, Ryan checked his cellphone that was discreetly tucked in his left pocket, straightened his lemon yellow tie as he watched Alejandro Esposito leave his son, who had begun to rehearse his vows for the last time. 'You all set, bro?'

'Yeah. Yeah,' Esposito repeated with a significant wobble in his voice. Surprisingly his hands were steady, as he walked back to his best man. 'Thanks for everything, Kevin.'

'I'm your partner, I'm with you till the wheels fall off.'

'Come on man.' Esposito flashed an anxious but sincere grin. 'You're more than that, you're my brother.'

They slapped palms, pulled each other in for a hug, making Esposito sniff. 'Thanks.'

'Nothing more homoerotic than a couple of cops hugging.'

Glancing over, Esposito saw Gil standing there. 'I seem to recall you doing the same thing with your best man at your first wedding.'

'No, no, no mention of that today.' Gil stole a look over at Robina, who was straightening TJ's lilac silk tie. 'This is about the future. Who knew a woman, a single mom no less, who makes me want to spar with her as much as kiss her would be the one for me?'

'You really love her, don't you?' Ryan asked.

'I do.'

'Isn't that my line of the day?' Esposito joked.

'Yeah. Hey, buddy!'

Gil's face brightened when he saw Tim and TJ approached with the pillows upon which sat the rings, a look of concern on both their faces.

'Okay, Uncle Javi.' Being the older and therefore the cooler head of the two, Tim took a deep breath. 'Your ring is the wider one, which means I walk down on the left side so I'll be standing beside Meredeth and she gives it to you, right?'

'You got it.'

'See, I was right.' Tim turned to TJ, swapped him pillows. 'We got it covered.'

Esposito shook his head as they scurried up the stairs to keep a watchful eye out for the limos. 'He is just like his daddy,' he commented, then felt his heart knock against his ribs as he saw the two limousines pull to the curb and Ryan's cell went off; he stuffed his hands in his pockets to clench at the tissues there so his hands wouldn't be damp with sweat. 'That Castle?'

'Yeah. They're here.'

Gil took off to let the others know it was time for the ring bearers to meet with the rest of the bridal party, as Ryan and Esposito walked towards the fountain where Father Paolo was discreetly checking the spots in his bible for the readings.

'This is it bro,' Ryan told him excitedly as he shut off his cell. 'You two are going to be so happy.' He bumped knuckles with his partner - his brother - as he went to meet the other ushers by the foot of the stairs.

Because there was no music allowed at the live open venue to signal the start of the wedding party's march to the altar, Father Paolo raised his hands, to signal the group at the top of the stairs.

This was it. This was his wedding.

* * *

'Castle, do you have a hankie or something?'

'Why? Going to gush and ruin your makeup?'

'No, I just need a dab for the sweat I can feel pooling on my upper lip.'

Castle shifted his hips, took out the Kleenex in his pocket. 'No, I'm not MacGyver, I just tend to sweat a lot under those hot spotlights at premiers and stuff. I learned the trick of keeping Kleenexes in my pockets to clench so it just looks like my hands are in my pockets after my first public appearance for Derek Storm press.'

Meredeth took the disposable tissue from him. 'Thank you again for this. Knowing me, if I didn't have someone to help with walking me down those freakin' stairs, I'd end up at the bottom in a bloody broken mess.'

'And Esposito would marry you anyways.'

He would, Meredeth knew, which was why she loved him so much. He was there through thick and thin good and bad, and thankfully they'd had more good than bad in their almost-two years together. No longer would October fourth be the most important date on her calendar. Now it would be August thirtieth.

She felt her heart stop and start instantaneously when the limo rolled to a stop; through the window Meredeth could see the brace of people getting into place. Because he knew his job, Castle whipped out his cellphone, texted Ryan a short message to signal their arrival to the groom and ushers down below, then powered off his phone before tucking it back in his pocket. They slipped out the driver-side doors, using the limo as a natural partition to shield the gathered people from seeing the bride too early. The rest of the women hopped out of the limo, each carrying their bouquets of dewy yellow and white tulips and glossy greens; Lanie handed her clutch of yellow roses to Honey-Milk while she drew a glossy waterfall bouquet of snowy white roses out of the florist's box. She passed them to Meredeth, kissed her cheek.

'Congratulations, baby girl,' she murmured; any higher volume would mean certain waterworks, then lined up behind the other women.

Meredeth watched as the two young boys, so proud of their participation in the wedding, march down the aisle of guests with the rings; she laughed with the congregation as they bumped knuckles and each went to their respective sides. Most people would have thought an eight-year-old and a twelve-year-old would have turned the ceremony into a joke, but Meredeth knew their parents and knew they would make everyone proud while still giving it their own flavour.

She watched with Castle as each bridesmaid disappeared down the steps, meeting with their respective ushers at the bottom of the stairs. It had been Esposito's brainstorm at the rehearsal dinner in order to make it dignified without being obvious that they were preventing Cam any stress about walking down the stairs with his cane First Lili in key-lime green met Cam with his fancy walking stick, then Honey-Milk in watermelon pink and Gil, and Beckett in coral orange taking Ike's arm; they lined up at the edge of the fountain like a line of colourful wildflowers on one side with their matching escorts on the other.

Castle turned to the bride, saw the barely controlled happiness there. 'Meredeth, you look beautiful. sposito is the luckiest man in the world today.'

'Thank you.' Meredeth's heart somersaulted as she saw Lanie and Ryan reach the altar, and everyone turned to watch her step out from behind the limo. 'Okay, let's do this thing.'

Slipping her arm through Castle's she breathed deeply as he laid his free hand over the one that gripped his arm tightly and she began to walk down the stairs.

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	57. For You I Will

Down by the fountain, Esposito watched with ever-growing anticipation as he watched the bridesmaids appear, meeting their escorts at the bottom of the stairs one by one until Ryan and Lanie had made it up to the altar. Finally, everyone turned to see the bride make her entrance.

Esposito watched, his heart in his mouth, as the vision in white was escorted down the stairs by Castle. She looked like an angel floating over the red stones in white satin and carrying matching white roses, her honey-caramel hair intricately styled as the white silk flowed around her shoulders. For what felt like the millionth time in the last twenty-two months, he wondered how he got so lucky that this exquisite creature had become the reason for his heart to beat. As she drew near, he felt the grin spread across his face to mirror the one he saw on her face; it barely registered that it was Castle standing there with her. Dimly he heard the happy sniffles from the guests and bridesmaids, even a small one from Ryan standing beside him and quite possibly Gil a little farther down.

'Who presents this woman in marriage?' Father Paolo asked.

'I present this woman to this man,' Castle replied in a solemn voice. Gently he unwound Meredeth's arm from his and placed her hand in Esposito's; he kissed her cheek, then stepped back beside Martha and Constance.

As Meredeth faced him and took his hand, Esposito had never seen anything so beautiful in his life as the look on her face.

'Friends, family, we have gathered together in this place of love to rejoice in joining two hearts in marriage, Meredeth and Javier.' Father Paolo made the sign of the cross, then continued. 'Love comes in many ways, in unexpected ways. When two people like Meredeth and Javier are blessed to find one another and fill each others' lives with love, when it is celebrated with such passion as theirs, we know we are in the presence of God.'

Father Paolo nodded at Cam, who drew out a piece of paper from his breast pocket and read the Ecclesiastes verse.

'Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.'

Cam refold his paper, put both his hands on the head of his cane as Father Paolo went on, 'Too often, we forget the little details in our lives, and on days like this, we must take the time to remember those small hours, for it is in those minute moments that we most often find incalculable joy, the kind that carries us through the sunny days as well as the darker ones.'

He. nodded at Carol Thornton stepped forward. Since they couldn't have a piano or even a small recording for music, they'd asked Carol, a trained soprano, to provide a song as the second reading.

'There are many ways to mark time, to measure distance, and as the years go by, the only thing we usually remember about things we've done and people we've met is the feelings we take with us. As Jonathan Larson beautifully wrote, how do you measure the life of a woman or a man?' Carol cleared her throat and began her acappella version of 'Season of Love', reminding them all that was what was most important - to be with the ones they loved, as they signed their wedding registry with Lanie and Ryan witnessing the document.

When she finished, and the small smattering of applause died down, Father Paolo cleared his throat. 'At this time, the bride and groom will exchange personally composed vows. Meredeth.'

Meredeth nodded, passed her bouquet to Lanie so she could take Esposito's other hand in hers.

'I am Meredeth Dakkars and I'm yours. I will make a life with you. I will make you brownies when you've had a bad day. I will make you laugh with my bad jokes. I will make you cheer up when you're blue. I will make you smile as often as I can. I will make children with you. And I will love you for the rest of my life. This is the promise I make to you today.'

'Javier.'

Esposito stared deeply into Meredeth's eyes as the words, the best ones he could think of to tell Meredeth what she meant to him, flowed so naturally from him, he wondered why he'd been nervous at all.

'I'm Javier Jimeno. And I'm yours. I will make a life with you. I will make you soup when you're sick. I will make you laugh when you want to hit me. I will make your tears dry when you're sad. I will make you smile as often as I can. I will make children with you. And I will love you for the rest of my life. This is the promise I make to you today.'

By now there wasn't a dry eye in the entire wedding assembly, even Father Paolo had to take a moment to compose himself before he spoke.

'As witnesses to these vows, we must make it our duty to share the love that has been promised here. Please turn to your neighbour and wish him or her good tidings so they may go forth and spread the joy of these two souls uniting as one.'

The congregation turned to each other murmuring, 'Peace be with you, and also with you,' before turning their attention back to the priest; Father Paolo nodded subtly at Lili, who stepped forward and began reciting a passage of Pablo Neruda's Sonnet Seventeen, one of both Meredeth and Esposito's favourite poems. She first recited it in the original Spanish, then in its English translation.

'I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straight-fowardly without complexities or pride. So I love you because I know no other way.'

Lili offered them a sweet smile as she stepped back with the bridesmaids, as Father Paolo folded his hands in front of his chest.

'We will now have the blessing and exchanging of rings. The circle has long been a symbol of unity, as a circle has no beginning and no end, it is made whole, as lives are made whole by love. Meredeth, please take Javier's ring and place it on his hand.'

Meredeth picked up the band from Tim's pillow, and sliding it on to his finger, she spoke softly. 'I give you this ring, Javier, as a symbol of my respect, my commitment and my unending love.' She held his hand tightly for a moment, felt him squeeze back in reassurance.

'Javier, please take Meredeth's ring and place it on her hand.'

Esposito flexed his fingers as he took Meredeth's band to match her engagement ring from TJ's pillow and slid it onto her hand. She'd moved her engagement ring to her other hand so it was like reliving the night over a year before when he'd got down on one knee before her, and she'd made him the happiest man in the universe. Today, somehow, they were able to top that moment. 'I give you this ring, Meredeth, as a symbol of my respect and my commitment and my unending love.'

He left his hand in hers as Father Paolo draped the white silk over their hands, wrapped it three times as he TJ and Tim both dutifully stepped forward, neither one fidgeting as the priest blessed the rings.

'These words of love are presented before God and we ask His blessing upon this holy union of Meredeth and Javier. Let us pray.'

They went through the 'Our Father' prayer, remained with their heads bowed as Father Paolo added his a personal blessing.

'Heavenly Father, what you have brought together let no one tear asunder. Fill this marriage of Meredeth and Javier with laughter and love and if there should be tears let them be tears of joy. Guide them with your wisdom and bless them with a long and happy life together.' He unwound the white silk, draped it over his shoulders.

'By the power vested in my by the Holy Church and the State of New York, I now prounced you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.'

With a giddy grin Esposito took Meredeth's hand in his, the other against her cheek and pulling her close, laid his lips on hers. He moved both of his hands down to her her waist, keeping her close to deepen the kiss, forgetting that they were standing in front of his childhood priest and their families. For a brief moment the entire universe melted away and it was just him and his wife. Meredeth was his wife now.

Meredeth felt electric tingles race down her spine as she kissed Esposito. She felt a little bursting of light in her skull when he nudged her lips apart and slid just the tip of his tongue over hers, and she wrapped her arms around his broad, sturdy shoulders. It felt like the most fantastic dream and yet her she was, kissing her husband. Esposito was her husband now.

Vaguely, in the distant background, they heard the oohs and ahs of the congregation, even a little wolf whistle that could have only come from Richard Castle. When they finally broke apart, everyone in Bethesda Terrace erupted into joyful applause, drowning out Father Paolo's words.

'Ladies and gentlemen, Meredeth and Javier Esposito.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	58. The Photographs

'You're a good kisser, Mrs. Esposito.'

'So are you, Mr. Esposito.'

Meredeth grinned as she looped her arm through his, took her bouquet back from Lanie with the other one as they walked down the aisle of people toward the area they'd designated as 'outside the church', since they were going to be staying at Bethesda Terrace for wedding photographs for at least another hour. She was glad she had him to hang onto beside her otherwise she might have floated away on a cloud of supper-happy.

By the time they reached the the selected spot, and the rest of the wedding party had met up with them, Meredeth found herself enveloped in one crushing hug after another. Of course, Lanie was the first one there.

'Congratulations, Meredeth! Oh, no wonder you had us all wearing that water-proof make-up, we'd all have looked like Alice Cooper in drag!' she declared, giving her friend a tight hug around the waist. 'And, you were right about the shoes.'

Meredeth nodded sagely. 'I know.'

Lanie grinned, then moved on to Esposito. 'Both of you did an amazing job, and I saw you nearly grab your wife's behind when the priest said 'kiss the bride.' Don't think I didn't.'

'My wedding day,' Esposito pointed out, his heart swelling with pride to here another person refer to Meredeth as his wife. He didn't have long to glow over it, as Ryan nudged Lanie aside and was wrapping his arms around his partner.

'Welcome to the club, bro,' he said, a little hitch still audible in his voice, then moved on to give Meredeth the same treatment. 'I've never seen a more beautiful bride, with the exception of one.'

'Yes, and she's right here,' Honey-Milk added from behind Ryan. She gave Meredeth and Esposito each a quick kiss on the cheek. 'And this is only part one of today. We still have that fabulous dinner ahead of us and a night of dancing, and of course, your wedding night,' she added with a wink.

'Out of my way or I'll use Cam's cane on you.'

Honey-Milk and Ryan each side-stepped to let Lili through; she thrust her bouquet at Honey-Milk and threw one of her trademark hammerlock-hugs on her brother and her sister-in-law.

'It's official now, Mere,' she sniffled, 'You're not just my _cunada future_ but just my _cunada_ now.'

'Thanks Lili,' Meredeth replied, patting the girl's shoulder to get her to ease back a smidge. 'Weren't you worried about the tears making you lactate and all that?'

'No, I pumped out before the ceremony, while you were getting dressed in the hotel, and I'm wearing extra pads under here. In fact, I'm going to go find your niece.'

Meredeth breathed a little sigh of relief as Lili whirled away; she had a moment to herself to breathe. It didn't last long, however, as Sloan approached her and Esposito. 'I'd like to get started with some of the formal portraits now, while we still have this gorgeous light, okay?'

'Sure.' Esposito linked his fingers through Meredeth's, led her over to the stairs. 'Anything for my new wife.'

'You really like saying that don't you?' Meredeth giggled. 'My new husband just loves to brag about me.'

'Hah, see? It's a two-way street.'

They went over to the same stairs Meredeth had descended on Castle's arm, Sloan artfully arranging Meredeth's dress so it draped over the stones, then took the first portraits of the newlyweds.

'Okay,' she instructed, 'Now, one where you're dipping her back, like you're going to dance the tango.'

Esposito did, grinning the entire time; he had a feeling he'd need a gallon of turpentine to wipe the smile off his face today. They took other ones, including a romantic kissing one, and a racy one where Meredeth hitched her skirt part of the way up her knee and hooked it over his hip.

'Save it for the honey-moon,' Castle hollered from the bottom of the stairs, where everyone laughed as they watched the photographs being taken. 'Or at least the limo.'

'Oh, Sloan, I'd like one up here of Castle with us.' Meredeth smiled over at him. 'If it hadn't been for his brutal blind-date set-up, we might not be here.'

Castle jogged up the stairs to stand between them, one hand on Esposito's shoulder, the other around Meredeth's waist. 'I tend to disagree. Two people like you, you'd find your way to each other eventually.' When Sloan finished snapping the photos, he reached into his pocket, pulled out several cigars. 'But then we wouldn't be having these sweethearts so soon.'

'Okay, guess that's my cue to find the girls.' Meredeth skipped down the steps, was about to around up her bridesmaids for photos when she saw her grandmother there and she realized with a little jolt she hadn't even spoken to her the entire day. Feeling a little guilty, Meredeth walked over and saw Constance standing with Rosalita, both openly weeping.

'Momo? Rosalita?'

They looked over at the bride, and sniffled wetly. 'Congratulations, _pige_,' Constance warbled, pulling her granddaughter tightly against her. 'Oh, how I wish your mother were here to see this.'

Meredeth could only nod; she'd had a good cry over that very topic with Lanie the night before, made sure her eyes weren't puffy before she went to bed. Hoping the wound wouldn't rip open now, she grasped her Constance's hand tightly. 'It's okay, Momo,' she murmured.

'You look absolutely beautiful, Meredeth,' Rosalita interjected, knowing that the topic of Meredeth's mother was what had set them both to sobbing in the first place and they pretty much hadn't stopped through the ceremony. 'Those vows and promises you made to my son, they were just about perfect. That is how you treat your spouse as an equal.'

'Meredeth.' Beckett came up, tugged her elbow gently. 'It's our turn for photos.'

Meredeth nodded, then pointed at Beckett. 'Go.'

'Rick sings songs from _Mamma Mia_ in the shower.' It was a total falsehood, but for Beckett's money, it did the trick, as the trace of sadness she'd seen in her friend's eyes vanished. 'Everything okay?'

'Yeah, just thinking about my mom,' Meredeth replied; if anyone understood such an ache as that, it was Kate Beckett. As expected, Beckett wrapped her arm around Meredeth's shoulder, squeezed supportively.

'I'm sure she had a front-row seat to watch you say your vows to Esposito.'

Meredeth smiled, nodded as she watched the guys all pose for the formal photographs, then be the true goofy little boys she knew they were as they flexed their biceps like strong-men and they all stuck the cigars in their mouths in their best imitations of George Burns. At the centre, the heart - always the heart - was Esposito, looking excited as a kid at Christmas. She felt the weight of her wedding ring on her left hand, her engagement on her right, and had never been so happy; these were her last symbols of his love for her, and her love for him. Every time she made a public appearance, she would show them off until everyone was sick of her, until everyone in the world knew just how much she loved him. Her husband.

When Sloan had finished up with the men, she turned around and called for all the women to take their places on the stairs. Esposito watched as Meredeth and her girls posed like supermodels, then all hitched up the hems of their dresses to show off their legs, rubbing his thumb over his wedding ring the entire time. He'd expected the weight of it there to feel foreign and different, but somehow though it was brand-new it was just as comfortable there as his weapon was in his holster on his hip - it was part of him, the proof to everyone who saw him how much he loved Meredeth. And the inscription on the inside - For You I Will - was exactly what he intended it to be, an extension of his vows; he knew there was nothing in the world he wouldn't do for his beautiful Danish angel. His wife.

'Hey.'

Esposito turned, saw Cam approach him. 'Hey, bro.'

'It was a great ceremony, man.' Cam placed both hands on the head of his cane, leaned forward a little to help alleviate the pressure on his knee; he still got uncomfortable standing in regular shoes for long periods of time. 'Just great.'

'Thanks.' Esposito turned back, saw the utter joy on Meredeth's face. 'I'd do just about anything to keep that look on her face.'

'I know.' Cam watched his own bride with equal amounts of joy, remembered when it was their day two years before. 'For better or worse, and I have a feeling you guys will have a lot more better ahead of you.'

'So do I.'

When the women finished their posing, they took the last of the formal portraits of the whole wedding party, then let the bride and groom make their dash up the stairs to the limo waiting to take them back to the hotel; they'd planned an early dinner so they could fit in as much dancing and good times as possible for tonight.

They slid into the limo, first Meredeth, then Esposito to make sure her dress didn't get caught in the door. The moment the door was closed he took her face in his hand and pressed his mouth to hers in one of their trademark hotly passionate kisses.

'I love you, Mr. Esposito,' she murmured against his busy lips.

'I love you too, Mrs. Esposito.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	59. The PreDinner Chatter

They made it back to the hotel without any monkey-business in the limo, or at least nothing beyond some seriously hot necking. When they brushed themselves up a bit, they exited the limo, feeling glamorous as old Hollywood movie stars as the people in the spacious marble-floored lobby looked on in amazement at them as they went straight to the private Towers elevator, not the most exclusive part of the hotel, but one that needed key-card access.

'Have you see the ballroom yet?' Esposito asked.

'Not since Lanie and I checked in yesterday afternoon, and we were looking in when they were only half-done.'

The doors slid open into the small hallway, in which had been placed a blown-up copy of the black and white photograph of the two of them that had appeared in _Bombshell_. It had been one of the most romantic moments of Meredeth's life, when she'd been on that studio set and she'd drowned out every negative thought, every put-down about herself, and permitted only the sensation of being in her man's arms. The blown-up copy had been put in a frame around which there was a black matte; on the table below were silver-inked pens for the guests to sign messages of congratulations. It had been her husband's idea - the novelty of calling him that wasn't going to wear out any tie soon - to do a photo and signed matte rather than a guest book so they could put the picture of them in the living room and read a little note from their friends and family any time they liked rather than hauling out a book that would just get dusty.

'Looking good, Detective,' she said, pointing to the photo.

'Right back at you,' he replied, still holding her hand and holding open the door to lead her through. He followed her in and felt his breath collect in an excited laugh as he looked around the room. 'Hot damn, it's like Wonderland.'

The room, already painted white with silver accents had been transformed. At the center of it was the hardwood dance floor, the four tables for the guests forming a horseshoe around three sides of its perimeter, with the podium and microphone situated between two of them directly across from At the fourth edge had been set up the two tiers of tables for the wedding party; the bride, groom, maid of honour, best man, and two ring bearers would be right on the floor while on the raised level behind them would be the remaining bridesmaids and ushers. On the bride and groom's table were center-pieces and linens all in glossy snow-white: roses, tulips, magnolias and hydrangeas, the second wedding party table had just snow-white hydrangeas and each of the guest tables has their linens and hydrangeas tinted to match each of the four colours of the wedding party. Little glittery sprinkles of silver, iridescent white and the corresponding colour were scattered over the white table-cloths. A table against one wall had already been partially filled with gifts, and in a carefully selected spot out of the way of danger but still in a place of honour was wedding cake, a glorious three tiered affair with fruity insides and fluffy toasted coconut on the outside. Over at the built-in bar, the two bartenders were setting up their stations, chilling wine and booze for the party they knew would be jumping within a few hours thanks to the DJ already set up and ready to party. Over it all was the retractable glass roof, letting in the four-pm August sun.

'You're right, it's our own little Wonderland,' Meredeth agreed, then turned when she saw the co-ordinator, Helen, emerging from the kitchen and caterer's areas.

'Congratulations, you two, you both look stunning,' she said, air-kissing Meredeth's cheeks and shaking Esposito's hand. 'I just wanted to let you know our penthouse kitchen has been cleared of all shellfish so your guest with the allergy won't have to worry, and after a check on the weather report, there is a small risk of rain past ten pm, so we're going to leave the roof closed and turn the air on should it become too warm in here.'

'Thanks, Helen.'

'You are the first to arrive?'

'Yes, but I think the others will be arriving shortly.'

Sure enough, the words were no sooner out of Meredeth's mouth than the door from the elevators opened and Castle, Beckett, Ryan and Lanie appeared, taking stock of the room the same way, each of them carrying gifts in their hands; it made Esposito arch an eyebrow.

'You're bringing more swag?' he asked, pointing them in the direction of the gift table. 'Then who's that from?'

'Other people, apparently,' Beckett replied, going over to check out the booty the happy couple was acquiring. She read the tags, stopped at one flat square box. 'Hey, Mere, did you see this?'

'No?' Letting go of Esposito hand - which was okay by her, as it was getting a little sweaty - she went over to the table and read the small tag on the parcel; why there was a tag on the

'Consider this a peace treaty. Happy Wedding, MV,' she read, then slapped her hand to her mouth in a giggle. 'Oh, man, I know _exactly_ what that is. Javi!'

'Yeah, babe?'

'Come take a look at this one!'

Esposito went over to where Meredeth was scoping out the loot they were getting, pointing to a box wrapped in green and yellow paper. 'What is it?'

'Look who sent us a present!'

Esposito read the tag. 'MV...MV, should I know who that is?'

'Officer Andrews?'

'No shit! You got your plate back from Milo?' Esposito understood his wife's excitement instantly. 'And all it took was us gettin' hitched.'

'How much you want to bet there's a note inside asking yet again for a refill?'

The door to the ballroom opened again; this time the rest of the wedding party came in along with some of their significant others, most of whom were carrying gifts, looking around as they came in much in the same way the bride and groom had.

Castle, knowing his part wasn't due up until everyone arrived, wandered over to the bar, got himself a scotch neat with a twist to nurse as the arriving guests began to snack on the offered canapes.

'One of those,' Beckett told the bartender, as she sauntered up and pointed at Castle's glass. Turning to people watch with her elbows on the bar, Beckett sighed contentedly. 'You did a very sweet thing today, Rick.'

'I couldn't bear the idea of her walking down the aisle to Esposito alone. She's been alone most of her life, and since she hooked up with our boy, she's now got more family between his clan and the animals of the Twelfth precinct than she could ever have imagined. She'll be sick of us by Thanksgiving.'

'Unlikely. Thanks.' Kate picked up the glass that appeared by her arm. 'You're still miffed about her beating you at poker the first time you met her.'

'Damn right I am. Little miss princess-pants comes waltzing into my poker game and takes me in her first hand. I will spend the rest of my life correcting that.'

'And the fact that she makes Javier Esposito happy as the proverbial clam?'

'Secondary.'

Beckett laughed. 'So your duties as father of the bride, does that include a dance with her too?'

'No.'

He said it a little too hastily for it to be genuine; Beckett set her own glass down, used her interrogation room stare on him.

'Castle?'

'What?

'You know something.'

Castle nearly swallowed the twist of lemon in his glass and barely managed to get down his mouthful of scotch. 'Why do you think that?' he squeaked, sounding like Mickey Mouse on helium.

'Because you've got that guilty look on your face, the one that says 'I am sitting on an egg.''

'You can stare me down all you like, you will not scramble this egg into an omelet.'

'The hell I can't.'

Castle only shook his head, turned his attention back to the couple of the day as they welcomed more guests, showed them to their tables or showed them over to the bar. The pure joy on both Meredeth and Esposito's faces was unparalleled and Castle sincerely hoped they never had to face any dark day in their marriage.

As Ryan bounded up, he was wearing as grin as well, albeit a much more goofy one. 'Just so you know, bro, I got dibs on that garter.'

'You'll have to fight me for it.'

'If it's anything like your ability to catch a fly ball, that's not going to be hard.'

Castle rolled his eyes. 'I said I liked baseball, I never said I was any good at it.'

'Which explains why you missed that ball, and Esposito got clocked in the noggin with the popped foul, and also why you will not be taking home that little bit of prize lace.'

'Ryan you're married. I am not. Single, meaning unmarried, men only.'

Before they could descend into a caveman-esque argument, Esposito wandered over. 'They're ready to serve dinner now so we need to take our seats.'

'Why dinner so early, Esposito?' Beckett asked, looping her arm through Castle's.

'More time for dancing.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	60. The Wedding Speech

As they sat down for the first course - the mixed greens with the black olives and fruity dressing - Castle walked to the podium and straightened his tie, cleared his throat. Esposito knew it was a great idea making Castle the MC; he'd keep it funny, light, heartfelt and poignant without being cheesy or over the top. Of course, that could also be attributed to the fact they'd only selected Castle, Ryan and Rosalita and Constance to makes speeches; they'd approached others but Honey-Milk, Lanie, Cam, even Beckett all agreed that nothing killed the party atmosphere of a wedding reception quicker or with more deadly precision than speeches that dragged on and on. It was better to keep everything short, sweet and to the point, so they could spend as much time possible dancing the night away.

'Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I'm Richard Castle, your host for the evening. I was thrilled when Meredeth and Esposito asked me to handle the MC duties for their wedding reception, not only because it meant being such an important part of their day but also because it meant I'd get to say full sentences without Detective Beckett cutting me off.'

The guests laughed as Castle continued. 'Anyone who has met this couple can see the love between them is something we should all strive to find in our lives, and because I promised Meredeth I'd try not to make her cry, I'll simply end it hear by saying I love you both, you're painfully pretty, and here's to a lifetime of happiness together. Cheers.'

Castle raised his glass in a toast, drank before he added his last thoughts. 'Oh and if you want these two to kiss, I've been informed by the best man that we aren't going to sing a song with the word love in it, or bang our forks against our glasses. Instead we must start a chant with the following word. Everyone repeat after me. Coconut.'

'Coconut,' the guests repeated dutifully.

'Again, a little louder.'

'Coconut!' they roared, then getting into the spirit of things, began to clap along with the word as they chanted it over and over again. At their table, Esposito turned to Meredeth, who sported a slightly embarrassed look on her face as he pulled her to her feet, gave her a sweet open mouthed kiss that had everyone applauding.

'That's a great start!' Castle applauded appreciatively. 'Thanks and enjoy your first course.'

When the plates of salad were finished and the waitstaff was clearing them, Castle approached the podium once more. 'At this time I'd like to call upon Detective Kevin Ryan to say a few words for his partner.'

Wiping his mouth on his napkin, Ryan stood up, gave Castle a pat on the shoulder as he pulled his speech out of his breast pocket, took a bracing sip of his white wine. 'Hi everyone, hope you're enjoying the meal so far, and no, Javier, it's not rabbit food,' he began, eliciting a broad chuckle from the groom. 'The first time I met Meredeth, that a few of us met Meredeth actually, was at Castle's place for a poker game, and when, uh, Castle opened the door to welcome them in, we found these two lip-locked on the other side.'

Meredeth blushed a little; she remembered that night very well, for more than just the way they'd been met at Castle's front door.

'That same night Meredeth, who'd just got back from Los Angeles the day before had one of her night terrors, and to see the way Esposito comforted her so lovingly one would think they'd been together for months instead of weeks. Looking back on it now, for me it's the quintessential moment of their relationship because they have built their lives together on having each other's backs in a crisis and a very enviable love life, and with those cornerstones getting them this far, they will have many more happy moments.' He raised his glass. 'Meredeth, Javier, I love you guys both, I wish you many happy years together, and I guess the only thing left to say is...coconut, and this time, put your back into it, bro.'

Knowing their cue, the rest of guests joined in chanting; because the memory of the night Ryan described had eased her into the public displays of affection expected from her and Esposito, this time instead of letting him gently kiss her, she grabbed his tuxedo lapels and pulled him against her in a kiss so hot, she was surprised his boutonniere didn't burst into flames.

'There, that better Ryan?' she asked as everyone clapped and whistled.

'Much. Cheers.'

Gripping the back of his chair, Esposito sat down as his red-wine braised steak was served along with Meredeth's. 'Is that like a preview of our wedding night, he asked her quietly. 'Soft and sweet, then the throw-down?'

'It can be whatever we want it to be,' she replied, digging into her steak with gusto.

The only sounds during dinner was the clinking of silverware on plates as they scooped up steak or fish or pasta, the occasional glug of poured wine or a soft drink for the under-twenty-ones; it was a sure sign they'd picked a great menu for the dinner portion of the reception. By the time they'd finished, it was time for the next speech, this one from Rosalita and Constance. They decided to collaborate on a parents speech, once again in the spirit of keeping it on time and about the celebration rather than long-winded speeches. Esposito knew his father well, didn't have a problem with him not saying anything; after all, he himself had inherited his dread of giving speeches from Alejandro.

'Good evening, everyone,'

'I am Rosalita Huertas-Esposito, mother of Javier, and I could not be more pleased to welcome this beautiful young woman into our family.' Rosalita cleared her throat before she continued her speech. 'There is not much I can say that I haven't already told my son about his new wife. She is strong, and intelligent, she keeps him on his toes, and most importantly, above all other things, she loves him for who he is. The first time I met Meredeth, at a luncheon at San Gabriel's, to see them together felt like they'd been together much longer than a short six weeks. I'd never seen my boy so happy, so what other choice was there but for him to marry you, Meredeth?' She raised her glass. 'Today, there's nothing else to say but here's to a lifetime of good food and great love.'

'Thank you, Rosalita,' Constance began in her lyrically accented voice, as the mother of the groom stepped to the side to give her the microphone. 'My name is Constance Dakkars and I am Meredeth's grandmother, Meredeth's mother was my daughter whom we all wish could be here with us to celebrate this joyous day. Since that couldn't happen, Rosalita and I decided to give you the next best thing.'

On the wall above the gift table appeared a projection, as the song 'The Rose' drifted out of the speakers and a presentation of photos of Meredeth and her mother began to flicker on the wall. As the party watched the small clip show, rather than find herself sad her mother wasn't there Meredeth was laughing as she remembered the stories behind the photos that were included. And okay, she did get a little sniffly at the end when she saw the last photo ever taken of her and her mother together before it faded to black.

Then she felt her heart skip a beat as a grainy home video from the early nineties appeared. She reached automatically for Esposito's hand, felt him grip it back.

'What is it, babe?' he asked softly.

'It's my mom,' she murmured, fighting not to cry.

'Oh, Mere.' Esposito raised her hand to his mouth, kissed the soft skin there as they watched.

'Hello my little Merry Cherry,' Freja said in a voice almost identical to the grown-up Meredeth's. 'If you're watching this then I'm very sorry I couldn't be there to walk you down the aisle. But I also know that you will have been the most beautiful bride in the world and that whoever you picked is strong and handsome, and funny and smart and can keep up with all your crazy ways. I also want you to know how proud I am to be your mother, all the medals I got for being a soldier can't hold a candle to the day the doctor put you in my arms or the first time I heard you say Mama. I love you so much, Meredeth, and I wish you and your husband a lifetime of happiness.'

The video screen faded to black with the superimposed words '2nd Lieutenant Freja Dakkars Coleman April 14 1954 - January 12 1991: A Mother Always.'

Esposito, sitting on Meredeth's right, saw her shoulders heave, snapped his fingers at Ryan. 'Gimme your handkerchief,' he muttered, then passed the square of snowy white linen to the bride, rubbed her back supportively. 'It's okay, Mere.'

'Oh, I know, I just haven't seen any videos of her in awhile.' Meredeth dabbed at the corners of her eyes. She'd gotten her wish; her mother was at the wedding. 'How's my make-up?'

'Here. Close your eyes.' Esposito took the handkerchief, dabbed at her lashes to sponge away the small smudge of eyeliner. He looked at her, smiled. 'You're beautiful.'

'Thanks.' Meredeth blinked. 'Tell me something to make me laugh.'

'Captain Montgomery listens to Shakira on his iPod.'

Meredeth giggled through her nose. 'That hit the spot.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	61. The First Dance

By the time they got through the drunk watermelon salad - watermelon, pineapple and honey-dew all pickled in sweet dark rum - and tea and coffee had been served, the DJ had put on the spunky instrumental music Meredeth had requested; the fact she loved old-school jazz never failed to amuse Esposito. For all her love of gadgets - the only bigger techno-head he'd met in his life was Castle - when it came to music she always went old-school. Blues, jazz, rock-a-billy, founders of rock and roll, or mo-town, Esposito was fairly certain there wasn't a single song on his new wife's iTunes play-list newer than nineteen sixty-eight.

Of course, being that today was such a romantic one from start to finish, the saxophones and brass instruments undercut with heavy throbbing upright bass lines fit the atmosphere perfectly. As he talked to Dave and Kyle Langley, Meredeth's friend Chin's husband, the bright bouncy beat made himself unconsciously tap his toes; when he saw his knee bouncing in time to Cab Calloway, it made him want to get up and move. It was another reason for wanting to keep the wedding guest list small - why would either of them want to spend precious dancing and partying time on glad-handing people they were only minimally acquainted with? This way, they could spend the hour or so the wait-staff needed to clear all the dishes out of the way talking to the people they cared most about in the world; it also meant the people invited would already mostly know each other, and those who didn't would learn quite quickly that inhibitions about meeting new people would be left outside the ballroom doors tonight.

He watched Meredeth across the room, as she chatted animatedly Lili and Cam, felt a surge of pride; he was the luckiest guy in the world today.

'Javi?'

'Hmm?'

'I was just saying I had a feeling this would be happening when you came to visit us in L.A. last summer,' Kyle commented as he sipped on his gin and 7-Up. 'After you went up north to visit Bananie and Christine, all Chin would talk about for two days straight was how cute you two were together and how she was just waiting for the call that she was getting married.'

'I'm surprised she didn't her yell all the way from New York,' Dave chuckled, remembering the night of the engagement. He'd been lucky enough to trade a shift to go to the book launch with his lovely Lanie and was thanking the stars every chance he got today that he'd been lucky enough to witness that precious moment.

'Yeah, that's what Javi here told me, it was one for the 'best of' reels for sure. Also, a little tip,' Kyle adding, leaning forward onto the table. 'If you're going to do the garter thing with your teeth, just grab the edge of the lace. Don't do what I did and overbite; I put a run in Chin's stockings. I know Meredeth's skirt is long, but it's one of those girl things they go a little nuts over.'

'Thanks man.'

Across the room Meredeth had moved on from Lili and Cam, who'd gone to check on little Rosie with her grandmother, and sat with Lanie and Anna finishing the last of their dinner wine while watching the men.

'Well, I think I've just about used up all my karma bank credit. I've had spinach hors d'oeuvres, steak with dark sauce and red wine today and not a drop on the dress or the veil,' Meredeth commented, watching with adoration as Esposito chatted with Dave and Kyle. 'I was so surprised you were able to make it out, Anna , considering that Venice and TIFF are coming up soon.'

'Well, truth be told, she had to get some angling done with her agent but she explained our girl was getting married and she was able to soften a few noses over in Italy, so we're leaving the wedding and flying from here to Europe. TIFF organizers were easier to deal with, they speak English and are on our time-zone, plus they're later in September.' Anna smiled, glancing over at Christine who was chatting with Robina and Beckett. 'I'm so proud of her, this is her first major year on the circuit as a director and not just a cinematographer. And from the sounds of the pre-festival buzz, we should be making sure our seat-backs are in the upright position and all loose items are secure.'

'You'll have to send us pictures. Dave and his partner are always quizzing each other, and since meeting Castle and this lady here-' Lanie patted Meredeth's shoulder '-Dave has a whole lot more of an edge.'

'That's true. Christine was crushed when she heard that Castle's book had been optioned by HBO Films and not MGM; she's still got another year left with them otherwise she'd have been short-listed to direct the first Nikki Heat adaptation.'

'There's always the sequels,' Lanie pointed out. 'The way this guy follows Beckett around, he's got enough for her to have fifty movies, just like James Bond.'

As if on cue, Castle wandered over; he'd removed his jacket so the blue of his tie picked up the colour in his eyes. 'Meredeth, I just talked to Esposito and the DJ and whenever you're ready, we'll get started with the first dances,' he said, crouching down beside the bride.

Meredeth glanced past his shoulder, saw Esposito looking her way; draining her wine glass she stood up. 'Okay, thanks Richard. Go let the DJ know we're ready.'

She walked behind him, stopping at Esposito's table while Castle continued on to the DJ's station. 'Hello, new-hubby,' she said with a smile, sitting on his knee.

'Hello new-wife.' Esposito kissed her cheek, his hand movign around her waist. 'You talked to Castle?'

'Yeah. I don't know about you but I'm ready to get this party started.'

'Agreed.'

'Good evening everyone.' The DJ, a friend of Simon Whalen's, spoke in a voice smooth as buttered leather. 'It's that time of the night, if we could have everyone gathered on the edges of the dance floor, we are going to start the night off with the first dance of the bride and groom.'

Esposito pecked Meredeth on the cheek, then stood up, effectively sliding her to her feet as well. 'That's us. And I promise, I won't step on your dress.'

'And I won't step on your toes.'

They made it to the middle of the dance floor, Esposito taking Meredeth into his arms; with his hand on her waist, the song they'd chosen as theirs - For You I Will by Monica - floated through the speakers as they began to circle.

'This was a great pick for a song,' he murmured, his mouth near her ear.

'Agreed. You know, it's the same one we used when we did the photo shoot together?'

'Really?'

Meredeth nodded. 'I also am curious to hear what you chose for the garter toss song. I can only imagine what these animals are going to do with that moment.'

'Oh, like the fight for the bride's bouquet isn't a feeding frenzy?'

'Touche. What do you think Castle's going to do if Alexis or Beckett or Martha snags it?'

'Good thing Dave's a paramedic,' Esposito laughed. He remembered at Ryan and Honey-Milk's reception the stricken, ashen faced look he had when Alexis' then-boyfriend Patrick had caught the garter. 'And I'm twirling you.'

Meredeth grinned as he let go of her waist, spun her around so her skirt swirled out then pulled her close again. Because she was in his arms once more, she rested her chin on his shoulder. 'Do you know how much guff Lanie the shoe-queen gave me over wearing flats for my wedding day? I told her given that I'm naturally a clumsy person and I'm going to be in a dress on those stairs, I'm not taking any chances.'

'I'm glad you didn't wear heels either.' It wasn't often Esposito felt uncomfortable over the fact that he didn't reach six feet and if Meredeth wore the kind of break-neck heels Beckett and Lanie both favoured she'd tower over him, but it was a thought that had occurred to him every time Meredeth had told him she was doing her dress fittings. 'Way easier to do this.'

He dipped his head to kiss her, still circling with the music as he did, and he felt his blood sizzle when she made that little sighing sound in her throat as he did so. As he felt her kiss him back, his senses were ensnared by the scent of his Meredeth - the always familiar and always tantalizing cucumber soap and French perfume. This was the part he'd been most looking forward to of this day - through all the glamour of the dress and the make-up, of promising to love her until the day he died, of the exorbitantly delicious meal, all he wanted was to hold his wife in his arms and dance with her.

Meredeth felt her brain fizz as he kissed her, just like it had the very first time he'd kissed her by the subway stop on a balmy October night in Spanish Harlem. She hadn't realized it, but this, not their first kiss as husband and wife, was the most romantic part of her day. Even with all the oohs and aahs over her dress, of saying her vows of unending love, the photographs Sloan had taken, here she was dancing at her wedding with her husband and feeling his heartbeat against hers.

As the song came to a close, Esposito stopped moving with her and just held on to her, looked her in the eye.

'I love you, Mrs. Meredeth Esposito.'

'I love you too, Mr. Javier Esposito.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	62. The Toss

True to Meredeth and Esposito's word, and their plan, the night was spent in full dance mode, with almost everyone crowding the dance floor. After the romantic first dance, Meredeth had surprised Castle with a father-of-the-bride dance to 'Lean On Me'. Instead she'd picked a song that spoke of one friend being there to support another, and they'd all been treated to the sight of Castle being so touched he'd actually swiped at his eyes with his pocket-square. Finally, the bridesmaids, ushers and their significant others had all joined the bride and groom for a dance to 'Someone Like You' before the DJ mixed it up, naturally kicking everything off was the Black Eyed Peas song 'I Gotta Feeling' which had everyone jumping up and down.

They'd disco'd and two-stepped and shakin' their groove things left right and centre. Tim and TJ had been equally entertained dancing with the grown-ups, making their pre-adolescent egos hum with pride they weren't being treated like children but as people growing up. Even the two little ones had been taken care of - Honey-Milk's brother Aiden had arrived with his wife to keep an eye on both Rosie and Dell in Ryan and Honey-Milk's room so the parents could stay out and enjoy the grown-up festivities; as Aiden's wife had also had a baby around the same time as Lili had given birth, she knew exactly what was needed for looking after a three-month old. Knowing the tots were in good hands meant everyone could enjoy the party worry free.

As the last notes of the song died away, Esposito slumped against the bar, a little winded. He hadn't stopped moving since he'd had his first dance with Meredeth. Though he considered himself in good shape, Meredeth kept her slamming curves in check by doing the jive, cha-cha, and samba; of course she would outlast him on the dance floor. He also didn't admit it to anyone he worked with, but it was yet another reason their sex life was so exciting - thanks to all that dance-cardio, she was very bendy.

'Look at her go!'

Esposito glanced over as Cam came up to him, snagged a glass of water along with his beer from the bartender. His cheeks were shiny and pink as he glugged down water and watched his new sister-in-law holding Tim's hands and showing him how to do the Twist.

'Mere's a machine, bro.'

'She does that Dancing with the Stars Ballroom Cardio stuff four days a week.'

'Well, she's the one who's just going and going on the dance floor and we're needing a break.' Cam grinned as he saw Constance wander over. 'Here comes the mother-in-law. Or is it grandmother-in-law?'

'I have no idea, man,' Esposito laughed, 'I just call her Constance.'

'Javier!' Constance, who'd very clearly had some drinks stronger than table wine, weaved her way around the tables to meet the two men at the bar. 'You should be very proud, this is a great wedding. Two double martinis,' she told the bartender.

'Double fisting at your age, Constance, I'm impressed.'

'One's for my new drinking buddy,' she said with the smile of the slightly drunk. 'There she is! Martha!'

'And it all makes sense,' Esposito murmured as Castle's formidable mother wandered over, clearly having knocked back a few herself. 'Martha!'

'Detective, oh you've thrown a lovely party. Dare I say that I think you've outdone the party last year for Ryan and Honey-Milk?'

'Don't tell Castle that,' Esposito chuckled. 'He'll find an excuse to get someone else hitched so he can make himself the ultimate host again.'

'Just wanted to say you and Meredeth are a lovely couple and you two will go the distance.' Martha patted his cheek, then squealed like a school girl when the martini landed in front of her. 'Oh, Connie you read my mind!'

'To the next generation!' Constance banged the side of her glass against Martha's, drained half of it in one gulp as 'Play That Funky Music' began to play. 'Oh, I love this one! Let's boogie.'

Esposito could only laugh along with Cam as they watched the two women grab hands like little kids and shimmy onto the dance floor. He caught Meredeth's eye, saw her pointing at him, then the dance floor. 'Looks like the water-break is over.' He made his way onto the floor, sneaking up behind Meredeth to pull her hips tight against him, moving in time to the hot funky beat.

Meredeth breathed a deep satisfied breath when she felt her husband come up behind her, his hands on her body in a very intimate way that wouldn't get him arrested. Turning around, she pressed herself tightly up against him, gave him a little taste of the romance they'd share privately that night by grinding her hips just as tightly.

'That's a dangerous move, Mere,' he told her, his words well disguised by the loud music. 'You're going to give me some wicked ideas.'

'You started it, you came up to me and were being all sexy,' she joked, taking a nip at his lower lip to appease him. 'You're the tease.'

The song faded, and was replaced not with another selection but the DJ's voice. 'Okay folks, it's that time of the night for the bouquet and garter toss. We'll start by giving all these lovely ladies a shot at the flowers.'

Meredeth made her way over to the wedding party's table where her bouquet rested beside a florist's box; she couldn't bear the idea of parting with her actual wedding flowers so she'd had the florist make up a second, smaller bouquet of white roses that resembled her own as the song she'd picked out - Knock on Wood by Amii Stewart - kicked in and all the women, married or otherwise crowded onto the dance floor. This was one part of the wedding she didn't mind rushing; everyone there knew this moment was really about the moment after it, when her groom would be the centre of attention and Meredeth couldn't wait to see just what he had up his sleeve for her. She turned so her back was to the women, so when the DJ did the count-down, she launched the white roses into the air over her head and heard the excited female squeals. When she faced them, she bent double laughing as she saw it was none other than Robina, waving the bouquet wildly over her head with pride. It made her so happy to see her friend thrilled with catching the flowers, especially when coupled with Gil beaming proudly as he hollered, 'That's my girl!'

'Thank you ladies, now if we could have all the men front and centre.'

Meredeth watched as Ryan brought over one of the banquet table chairs, put it in the middle of the floor, then came to lead her by the hand over to have a seat before standing with all the men. She could already feel her cheeks burning up a little as she the Pussycat Dolls' 'Buttons' throbbed onto the speakers. In front of her, the crowd of guys parted like the Red Sea before Moses, creating a little aisle for Esposito to walk up. No he didn't walk, he sauntered, playing it up for everything he could manage. He stood across from her, stripping off his jacket and handing it to Ryan without a backward glance, then began to pace a little as he popped his cuffs to turn them back; Meredeth knew the look on his face well, one he usually saved for when they were alone. Finally, he strolled over to her, crooking his index finger at her. She felt her skin flush, not in embarrassment but in anticipation.

Taking his bride by the hand, Esposito pulled her to her feet and pulled her hotly against him, so that even with the layers of her dress, the snug vee of her thighs ground into his leg; as he moved in time with the music, he could hear her breath hitch a little, the same way it did when they were making love as he grabbed her right leg at the knee, pulled it so it was hooked over his hip. He bent his knees a little so she was thinking he would dip her, which he did, but instead of pulling her back up right, he let her bottom hit the chair while keeping her leg in his hand. He sank down on one knee, propped her ankle over his shoulder, then took the edge of her dress hem and slowly flipped it back. When he caught the look on her face, he sent her a saucy wink.

Meredeth had to swallow a little as she realized what he was doing when he lowered her back to the chair, put her leg on his shoulder. As he flipped her skirt back and winked at her, all she could do was bite her lip to keep from moaning in such a way they'd think she was holding back a laugh instead of sounding like the wedding guests were about to get a free live sex show. She did, however, let out a little gasp when she felt his teeth graze her knee as he lowered his mouth to her and began tugging off the ceremonial garter with his teeth. Somewhere in the background, she heard all the men whistling and cheering their boy on, but all Meredeth could think of was just what would happen when they were alone tonight if he was willing to be this openly sexy in front of their family and friends. Finally, after what felt like an interminable few seconds, she felt him slide the band of stretchy lace and ribbon over her foot, then watched him fire it into the crowd like a slingshot, where Dave Robbins caught it and wound it around his wrist like a watch.

Back on the middle of the dancefloor, where everyone was applauding, Esposito adjusted Meredeth's dress for her, then pulled her to her feet for an eye-crossing kiss.

'You're right,' he murmured against her lips. 'Today, I'm the tease.'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	63. The Cake

'So I am holding my hand over yours or yours over mine?'

'I don't know, what if I choke up on the hilt and then you hold the handle?'

'That could work.'

Meredeth and Esposito were both sitting at a table by the cake table, giving their dancing feet a rest. It was just after twelve, and as they'd eaten at five o'clock and were dancing by seven, a lot of the guests were feeling their blood sugar plummet; some guests needed real food to soak up the booze they sucked down with celebratory glee so they were ready for midnight cake and buffet of build-your-own sandwiches - Dave and Kristof in particular. Meredeth looked at the spread, wondered if she'd look like a greedy bride if she snagged some of the sliced meats and cheeses for a post-loving snack in her suite with her hubby.

'We're getting our own private set-up in our suite, my love,' Esposito said to her, reading the look on her face. 'Castle is also picking up our room service tab for us tonight.'

'Why does he insist on buying things for everyone?'

'He'll say because he can, but I think it's because he's a lot more like you than he realizes - only child from a single parent family, divorced with a single child. He hooked up with us and got more than friends, he got family for the first time in his life. His way of showing us what we mean to him is to buy us nice things, like when he got us the coffee maker for the breakroom as a thanks for letting him annoy Beckett.'

Meredeth laughed. 'I can only imagine what fun you guys had when he first came into your lives.'

'I believe I said watching a control freak like Beckett get stuck with a wind-up toy gone amok like him would be better than _Shark Week_.'

'Was it?'

'Very.'

As the last notes of 'Friends in Low Places' faded off the speakers, the DJ switched on his microphone once again. 'Okay ladies and gentlemen, it's just after midnight and we are going to have the cutting of the cake followed by some late-night munchies, so if you could head over there, we'll all get a little sugar.'

Appropriately, he switched on the song 'Sugar, Sugar' by the Archies; as a small group including Sloan had already gather, Meredeth flipped open the box with the cake cutting knife. It was a beauty, a Henckels blade with a crystal handle, around which had been tied yellow, white, green, pink and coral ribbons, Esposito's gift to his then-fiancee on their eighteen-month anniversary back in April. They'd decided to use the date as an excuse for giving each other wedding-related gifts. He'd give her, the chef of the household, the cake-cutting knife for their wedding reception and she'd given him a gift certificate for some private dance lessons to prepare for their first dance together.

Since Sloan had arrived with her camera, Meredeth picked up the knife, felt Esposito close his hand over hers. 'That's what we're going with?'

'Yeah, just feels right.'

'Agreed.'

With his hand over hers, the feel of his wedding ring against her skin, Meredeth pressed the blade into the wide bottom layer of the cake, almost a little sad to destroy such a gorgeous creation. It was not a tall towering monstrosity covered in quarter-inch thick fondant topped by a cheesy-looking bride and groom. Instead Rosalita had done a three-tiered rectangular cake; the words 'Meredeth and Javier 8-30' were printed on a custom-made plastic cake inlay, with each tier divided by a different flavour of custard. As most people would probably go for something traditional, the bottom - and therefore largest - layer was lemon custard, the next one up raspberry and finally pineapple in the little one on top.

Esposito felt the cake give under the knife, could feel the saliva pooling in his mouth. This moment too, they'd wanted traditional but not the usual stuffing cake into each other's mouths or twining their arms together to eat off their own forks. Far too corny, and way over done, so they decided to give it their own flavour. As he dropped the slice of cake onto the plate, he picked it up, and using his finger tip, dabbed a little blob of butter-cream icing onto Meredeth's nose, then kissed it off. She returned the process by smudging his cheek with lemon custard and pressed her lips to his face in a kiss as she licked it off. Ever the proud chef, Rosalita appeared to finish cutting and serving the cake, but not before handing Esposito and Meredeth two forks to share their first slice together. They sat down at a table with Lili and Cam, and Gil and Robina.

'Mmm, good,' he mumbled around a mouthful of cake, making Meredeth laugh.

'Tarzan like cake, Jane like cake too,' she teased him, imitating his voice, then squawking when he reached over and brushed more icing onto her nose. 'Hey!'

'Here, lemme get that off for you.' He leaned over, gave her another sweet kiss. 'Better?'

'You're such a funny guy.' Meredeth glanced over, saw an extra piece of cake beside Robina's plate. 'You really hungry, Robina?'

'TJ and Tim both went to sleep in Carol and Ike's room about an hour ago, I'm saving some for him. What you think I'm eating for two or something?'

'Are you?' Esposito dropped his fork, looked over at his friend intently.

Robina looked at Gil, who nodded subtly in a kind-of 'go ahead' gesture. She took his hand in hers, threading their fingers together. 'We didn't want to say anything to interfere with your wedding, but we've been talking to the doctor about our options for kids, given Gil's medical history.'

'Oh my god!' Meredeth also dropped her fork, clapped her hands together. 'How long have you been talking about this? What about getting married or moving in together?'

'We've been discussing all those things, but it's barely been a year. Biology doesn't always play along with a calendar, everyone knows that.' Gil pursed his lips. 'I've been taking some hormones and that to help my, ah, trouser torpedoes get a little firepower going.'

'Good for you!'

'Well, so far it only means there's been lots of...target practice.' Robina blushed pink as Gill's tie, as she rubbed a hand lightly on her face. 'Who knows, we might give you two a run for your money.'

'Not possible,' Esposito replied without a nanosecond of hesitation. 'If you saw some of our home videos, you'd...' he trailed off when he realized what he'd revealed; now it was his turn to go pink as Gil's ever-popular tie. 'You want any more wine, Mere?'

'Sure.'

Esposito booked it out of there, leaving the other four to gape at the bride.

'Videos, Meredeth?' Lili shuddered. 'Please make sure those tapes are well labeled and we don't see them at Christmas this year. We don't need that to happen again.'

Now it was Robina and Gil's turn to hold off snickering. 'Again?' Gil asked.

'We grabbed the wrong tapes off the shelf to take to Rosalita and Alejandro's for our first Christmas together, to show them some of the stuff we did on our honeymoon. We showed them a little _too_ much,' Cam explained, staring at his plate the entire time. 'I'm going to go see if Javi needs any help with the drinks.'

* * *

By one, it was only the die-hards left, and even they were starting to wear out their party spirit. Beckett and Castle had helped Lanie and Ryan with the gifts, taken them down to their rooms for safe-keeping, while the flowers would be placed in the same room the rehearsal buffet had been set up in; everyone had been invited for a wedding brunch at eleven the next morning to finish sleeping off the alcohol or letting the body replenishing after other nocturnal activities.

As she bid goodnight to the last of the guests, and the DJ was packing his things up along with the bartenders, Meredeth kept stealing glances at Esposito; each time she did she felt the giddy little bubbles of excitement in her stomach. He was giving her that look that was uniquely theirs. To anyone else it read that he was simply scoping out his bride, but Meredeth knew it was him fantasizing about what she had on underneath her dress. Wasn't he in luck that she had some very exciting things picked out to make him fall to his knees and thank God for her curvy body?

When the last guest had been ushered out the door, Esposito walked over to his bride, saw her giving him that sexy look, the one that all but screamed 'wait until I get you alone'; he'd seen it on her face many times at parties across the room and every time they'd found an available private space and satisfied each other until they could hardly walk straight.

'Great party, Mr. Esposito,' she told him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

'First of many, Mrs. Esposito,' he replied, holding her close in the same way.

She stretched onto her tip-toes so they were eye-to-eye, laid her lips on his once, then really sank into it, dancing her tongue over his in a way designed to stir the blood. Meredeth saw she'd hit the mark when she heard him moan a little.

'What do you say we get out of here, and do that?'

'A great idea.'

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	64. The First Time

_Hello everyone! Hope you're enjoying reading about the wedding as much as I've liked writing about it! This is partly to make up for the sobbing-ness with 'The Wedding Speech' - this is mos-def NSFW! Read, grab a cold drink and maybe a towel and review!_

* * *

'Welcome home, baby.'

'Or at least, home tonight, baby. Come here.'

Before his wife could protest, Esposito hooked one arm behind her knees, braced the other on her back and swept her up so he could carry her through the door of their honeymoon suite. The first place they would spend together as husband and wife. He took three steps inside, enough to make Meredeth giggle before he dropped her back to her feet.

'Just had to do that,' he told her, tugging on the knot of his tie which somehow was still around his neck.

'My hero.' Meredeth opened the door to the bedroom of their suite, smiled. 'Oh look at this.'

On a rolling sideboard was a miniature version of the midnight buffet the guests had all but inhaled upstairs - mixed greens, a plate of sliced meats and cheeses, a basket of rolls, butter, mayo and honey-mustard for the sandwiches. There was also fresh fruit, chocolates, and perhaps most suggestively a bowl of whipped cream. Rounding out the verifiable feast was a chilling bottle of champagne and two flutes.

'To keep up your energy on your wedding night, love the Wedding Party,' Esposito read on the card resting on the table. He wheeled the cart into the kitchen and living room area. 'Hey, where are you going?' he asked when she headed for the ensuite bathroom.

'Putting on my wedding night lingerie. This stuff was just to keep everything in place under the dress.'

Seeing that he didn't have much choice, Esposito slid off his clothes, neatly draped them over the armchair. He needed them to stay sharp-looking for Sunday. Noticing that some candles had also been placed on the two bedside tables, he got up to find a book of matches to light them and wasn't disappointed when the room filled with the fragrant scent of coconut. When he was sure the stage was set, he stretched out on his back on the bed, then turned to his side when he heard the door creak open. 'You ready for me, Javi?' she called out to him.

'Always.'

The door opened all the way and Esposito felt his blood drain into his lap immediately. She'd chosen pure white, the same colour as her wedding dress, in an ankle length sheath. It was slit to her hip on both legs and he could see when she walked, she'd left on the second garter he knew she'd tucked under her dress. The top barely contained her beautiful breasts, the straps needle thin and the delicate lace rising and falling as she breathed. She'd also moved her engagement ring back over to her left hand, so her wedding band sat buddied up with the jeweled flower.

'Wow.'

'That's what you said to me on our first date,' she told him, walking towards the bed.

'I meant it then, and I mean it now.' She'd reached him, and Esposito was almost afraid to touch her, that she might vanish in his grip like smoke. But she was very real and all his; he stood up to take her in his arms and just kissed her. He left his tongue drifted lightly over hers as he held her face in his hands, then rested them on her shoulders.

'I love you, Javi.'

'I love you too, Mere.' His lips were on her cheek now, then her temple as he whispered, 'Meredeth Esposito. Let me show you how much I love you.'

Meredeth shuddered as he kissed her again, his lips firm and warm against hers as he kept her tight against him. She felt her nipples harden as they rubbed against the silk, the friction created from rubbing up against his chest; it was amazing what could be accomplished with a single kiss. Her hands moved up his back, stopping just below his shoulders, her palms keeping him close as his hands slid from her waist up to her shoulders.

He used his index finger to slide one fine-thread strap down, then the other; he wanted to draw out every sensation the first time. Moving his hands back to her waist, he gently tugged on the satin bodice, pulling it down just far enough to reveal her breasts, the nipples already hard. It always made the blood rush into his loins whenever he saw those gorgeous little peaks so taught, as it let him know his touch was making her all hot and bothered. Rather than feast and ravish as he often liked to do, he took his time, letting one hand drift up to brush the under-side curve. Esposito knew he was right on target when he heard the little catch of breath in her throat. His hand moved up even farther, her breast now resting fully in his palm as his fingers softly closed over her and squeezed. She arched against him, pushing herself into his touch even farther.

Meredeth's eyes flew open when he released her; it was momentary as his hands went to the bodice of her gown again and tugged on it once more, so that it slithered to the floor in a soft puddle of satin. She stood naked before him now, save for the bit of lacy and ribbon on her thigh, and felt her legs go lax when his hands slid around from her waist down over her ass and he pulled her tight against him.

'So soft, and sexy,' he murmured, 'my sexy wife.'

'And my sexy husband,' she murmured back, sliding her hands under his boxers over his taught and toned behind, shoving them down over his hips so he was naked along with her.

Esposito felt his head roll back on his shoulders at the feeling of being hard and naked and just embracing his equally naked Meredeth. He bent at the knees and because his arms were around her, effectively tumbled them onto the bed where he rolled so she was underneath him, soft and silky and heart-breakingly beautiful. Knowing they had all the time in the world, he indulged himself by running his hands over her body as he nibbled at the pulse in her throat; it had begun to picked up speed when he rested both hands over her breasts. He watched her eyes as he dragged his thumbs over the pebble hard points, saw them glaze in pleasure. He rolled the pad of his finger over the right one, knowing it was her most sensitive point; sure enough she was sighing his name with just a few passes. Wanting to give her as much pleasure as possible, Esposito let his hand fall away, lowered his mouth to her breast as he rubbed his thumb over her other nipple.

Meredeth couldn't think; she loved when he used his mouth on her like this, and this was only the warm-up. She felt the tingle between her legs, shifted them so she opened herself for him to rest against her, arching her hips into him ever so slightly to make his brain fizzle like hers was. She brought her hands up to run over his head as her heart began to hammer against her ribs. He turned his attention to her other breast, sliding his thumb over the now-damp nipple and she felt the jolt into her system like a lightening bolt.

'Baby.'

'I know you like that,' he said, kissing his way back to the centre of her chest, running his tongue in the valley between her breasts as he continued to tease her breasts, making her dampen against him. He slid down her body, leaving a trail of hot open-mouthed kisses over her belly as he went farther and farther down, until he hit the sweet spot between her thighs where she was already achingly wet for him. He kissed her there lightly, teasingly, then flicked out his tongue to taste her. Her moan was loud and appreciative, as he rested his hands on the outsides of her thighs while he pleasured her. He used his tongue liberally, dipping and swirling, dabbling at that sensitive little nub he knew would drive her wild. He felt her hands on the back of his head, keeping him there as she ground her hips against him. He knew her body well, could tell she was on the point of orgasm so he gently slipped his hand between her thighs, used one finger on her while his mouth closed over that nub and suckled.

'God, Javi!' Meredeth felt everything in her body awaken at this heightened sensation, choking out his name on a sob as she came in one hot white-flash. Her hands fell away from his head, found purchase in the sheets as she could only find energy for one word. 'Again.'

Hearing her whimpering and moaning for him like that had pushed him to the limit, so Esposito lifted his head from her, slid up her body to look her in the eye. Not saying a word, he took one of her hands and guided it down between their bodies so she could feel just how hard she made him. With a nod, she took him in her hand, helped position him at her entrance, then let it fall away.

'Mere,' he sighed as he slid into her, heard her make that little 'oh', the sexiest sound in the world to him. 'I love you.'

'I love you too Javi.'

He began to move inside her, going as slowly as his body would let him, then speeding up, repeating those words to her over and over as he watched the next orgasm build inside her. It swept through her like a summer storm, as she hooked her knee over his hip. She moaned in his ear she was coming again, then found his mouth as his hips pistoned into hers.

Esposito watched her face, her eyes half-closed as she went up again; he could feel his own control slipping away with every stroke she gave him. Taking her hand in his, he lowered his mouth to hers, so she could swallow his moans as she came once more, with him following her into mind-blowing release.

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


	65. The Second Time

They lay tangled together on the comfy king sized bed, breath wheezing in and out in the post-orgasm denouement. Esposito felt his wife's heartbeat thundering against her ribs, like it was about to leap out. _My wife,_ he thought with a smile, _I've just finished making love with my wife_.

'Javi.'

'Huh?'

'You still with me?'

'Uh-huh.'

Meredeth giggled a little at the satisfied sound in her husband's voice. _My husband_, she thought. _I've just finished making love with my husband_. 'I think we lived up to that promise from back in July.'

'The just-champagne one?'

'Yep.'

'Nuh-uh.' Esposito fisted a hand lightly between her breasts to prop his chin on so he could study her face, give her the look she knew would mean only round one of tonight had been accomplished. Sex was funny that way, he thought. Sometimes with Meredeth it felt like the perfect sedative to take the edge off of a busy day, other times it was hilarious, like when he'd rolled them off the living room couch. Or, like now, it could pump him up with enough energy so he felt like he could jump up and run to San Juan. 'We got the hot and steamy covered, we always do, but the dirtiest? Not even close.'

'And you think you we can accomplish that tonight?'

'You bet your fine juicy booty. But, right now, I could definitely use something to eat. And,' he added, sliding out of her as he got out of bed, 'I have your wedding present to give you.'

'As do I.'

Meredeth lay staring at the ceiling for a few seconds before popping up and throwing on her kimono, then digging through her suitcase for his gift. When she went into the parlour area, she laughed at the sight she saw - Esposito, strong man of the law, in a fluffy white bathrobe pouring champagne and selecting chocolate for his plate. On the table was a long velvet box with a white ribbon around it.

'Here.' He turned around, passed her a flute of champagne, touched his glass. 'To the first of many, many more.'

'Many, many more,' she echoed, kissing him, then sipping from her glass. 'You want food first or your present?'

'Present, of course.'

'Okay.' Meredeth dipped her hand into the pocket of her kimono, drew out the box. 'Happy wedding.'

Esposito untied the ribbon from the trademark blue-box of Tiffany's and Company, lifted the lid. 'Oh, Mere. These are beautiful.'

He drew out the dice-size platinum cufflinks, examined them; she'd had engraved on one side of each link 8-30, their anniversary, and the other side of one said 'Te Amo', the other 'Jeg Elsker Dem'. 'I love you,' he murmured, pulling her in for a kiss. 'I'm wearing them Sunday, for good luck.'

'That's perfect.'

'Your turn now.' He passed Meredeth her gift, watching her the same way she'd watched him open his and wasn't disappointed when he watched her eyes go round at the platinum pendant fashioned like a flower, its centre a small diamond. 'I got it to match your ring.'

'It's beautiful, Javier. I love it, and I love you.'

'I'd offer to put it on for you, but given what I have in mind for us to do next in our marital bed, it might hit you in the face.'

Meredeth's laugh was rich and full as he began to assemble sandwiches for them. 'I don't know whether to be turned on or scared.'

'A lot of column A and a little of column B works well for me. So are we in the mood for turkey, or ham, or salami?' he asked, slicing open a roll.

'Oh there are so many jokes I could make about that one,' she chuckled. 'But I'm going to go with turkey and Swiss with honey-mustard.'

He made her sandwich, added a little lettuce for crunch, then made roast beef with provolone and mayo for himself. 'So, what did you think of Gil and Robina's news?'

'Oh my god. You could have knocked me over with a feather when they mentioned that. Robina's always said she wanted to have another child, but when Anthony got himself clipped after TJ was born, she didn't really have much choice and he wasn't interested in adopting. And Gil with his medical history, he's fallen in love with TJ as much as he has Robina. I think it'll be tough for them, but you wouldn't find a more loved baby if they succeed.'

'Well, here's to hoping they do.' Esposito tapped his glass against hers. 'Refill?'

'I thought we're taking it easy on the booze.'

'Yeah, but if you're a little drunk for this next part, that would make it a little more interesting.' Sandwich forgotten, Esposito stood up, unbelted his robe and tossed it over the chair, then pulled on her hand. 'Come on, my lovely. Time for more.'

'Wow, what's gotten into you?'

'The question is, what's getting into you?'

Meredeth would have protested but found herself in his arms, his mouth hotly fusing to hers in such a way she'd have thought he'd been sex-deprived for fifteen months instead of fifteen minutes. She felt him grow hot and hard against her, as he walked her backwards towards the bed. Then what he said next nearly made her knees buckle. 'I've made love with my wife, now I want to fuck her senseless.'

Lust, blood red and volatile, burned inside Meredeth's mind as she gulped. 'Dirty boy,' she ended on a gasp, as his mouth streaked down her throat, his hands just as busy now as he ripped open her kimono, slid it off her before all but tossing her to the bed. 'What do you have planned?'

'Enough questions. I don't want you to think.'

Esposito pounced on her, pinning her to the bed with his body, his body fitting neatly between her thighs; he could already feel her dampening against him. With impatient hands he touched her, every ounce of that creamy flesh he could find - shoulders, breasts, hips, thighs. That sweet, soft covering of his Meredeth, with its little dotted freckles. He tore his mouth away from hers, loving the sound of her breath hitching, moved down until he was leaving hot, sticky open-mouthed kisses over the swell of her breast.

Meredeth couldn't think, she could barely breathe from the heat rising between them. This wasn't just love, this was passion at its finest. She shifted her hips so she could grind against him, then arched up off the bed when he closed his mouth over the heated her breast, his tongue stroking her nipple. All words vanished, only noise escaped, a sound somewhere between a moan and a gasp. She slid against him, all the nerve endings between her thighs awakened, her hands finding purchase in the tangled sheets beneath her body.

'Tell me what you want me to do to you,' he murmured, laying his lips against the side of her breast in the only sweet kiss he intended to give her this time. 'What do you want the most?' He licked the pad of his thumb, scraped it over her other pebble-hard nipple, making her all but sob out her desire.

'Your hand.'

'Where?'

'Between my thighs.'

Esposito smiled against her skin; he'd hoped that's what she'd say. He sat up, dragging her up by the elbows as he did then turned her around so she spooned up against him, the evidence of his arousal against her back. With one deft move, he rubbed his palm over her breasts, then flashed down her torso to that sweet, wet heat where she waited - ached - for him. When he slid one finger inside her she bucked back against him, her fingernails digging into his hips. He knew she was expecting fast and hard, so he made it slow and torturous, his name on her lips with each stroke. The tension in her was magnificent, she all but vibrated with the need for release, so he gave it to her - he pressed his thumb against her trigger, making her orgasm in one intense avalanche.

Her head spun wildly as the pleasure he gave her rolled through her like fire. As she struggled to stay upright with him, Meredeth felt his breath warm on her ear.

'Now.'

'Yes.'

She expected him to lean her forward, push into her from behind; instead he leaned forward, so they were both face down on the bed. Then she was on her back, looking into his eyes, burning like chocolate embers as he cupped her hips in his hands, lifted her and sank inside her, burying himself as deeply as he could. The little 'oh' she always made wasn't little this time as he entered her but loud, and satisfied as he stoked her; his beautiful Meredeth all but writhed beneath him in pleasure.

Then it was Esposito who was on his back, Meredeth on top of him, rocking her hips back and forth with increasing speed, her demands and pleas for more met with each stroke. He gripped her wrists, placed her hands on his chest so she could feel his heart as she started to shudder.

'I love you,' she sobbed, the orgasm sending white-hot light ricocheting through her body. As she sighed and trembled over him, Esposito felt the shift, then the flood

'I love you,' he replied. It was the last thought he had before she dragged him over the edge into oblivion.

* * *

R&R&Enjoy!


	66. The Emmys

_Hello everyone! So this is it! This is the final chapter of the wedding saga of Meredeth and Esposito! It was not my intention to end this one so soon, but I felt that this story has gotten a great amount of love (100+ reviews, a personal record!) and there are other Crumbsverse stories to explore with just as much attention to detail. The next one looks at a unique relationship between two characters I don't believe have ever been paired together! So for this one, for the last time, Read and Review and Enjoy!_

* * *

'Good morning, sir, this is the front desk, we are issuing your wake-up call.'

Esposito hung up the phone of their hotel suite, rolled back to wrap his arm around Meredeth, sleeping so peacefully he almost didn't want to disturb her.

In her seat, Esposito nudged Meredeth. 'Mere, babe, it's ten-thirty,' he murmured. 'Time to wake up.'

'Okay.' On a yawn, Meredeth stretched upwards, flexed her toes. As she brought her hands back down, she caught the glint of her wedding ring in with her jeweled flower engagement ring and grinned. 'That is some fine lookin' bling ain't it?'

'Goes well with mine,' Esposito agreed, holding up his hand beside hers,admiring his platinum wedding band. He knew a lot of the guys didn't wear them at all or wore them on a chain under their shirt. Not for him; he would wear his with pride. He lay his hand over hers, ran it over her shoulder. 'You want to eat in here or restaurant?'

'Here. We can get a shower while we wait for food.'

'Good point.'

Meredeth rolled over, gave him a kiss before she ducked into the shower; her brain was still mushy from their wedding night. They hadn't managed to get anywhere close to sleep until nearly four in the morning, owing to a real late-night snack and one more round of passionate love-making before they'd finally given in to their bodies' demands for sleep. The following morning, they had enjoyed the brunch with their wedding party and left instructions with Ryan and Lanie for the dog as well as their wedding gifts, and transporting Meredeth's wedding dress and bouquet home to Chelsea; since Lanie was going to be house-sitting for them, they hadn't worried much about cleaning out the refrigerator of perishable items before they left.

Finally, they'd flown out to Los Angeles, sleeping almost the entire way there; Esposito had been out before lift-off from La Guardia. When they'd touched down at LAX, he'd woken up to find he'd slept the entire time with Meredeth's hand in his. They'd had just enough time to catch a bite to eat at a little seaside cafe in Santa Monica, then get polished up for their first Beverly Hills party thrown by Irina Sokalov, one of the women nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. Though Meredeth didn't think she had a snowball's chance in hell of winning, Irina had been a gracious host and they'd gotten to hob-knob with the rich and fabulous for a Saturday evening. Not the worst way to spend their second night of marriage.

Now it was the morning of the second biggest day this weekend - the Emmy awards and compared to the excited butterflies she'd felt on Friday morning, this was cake. She had a little just-in-case speech in her head prepared - despite being the prognosticators' fan favourite, the odds on for writing was to go to the Ella Sawyer series on HBO - and she would walk down the red carpet in her beautiful teal blue dress with her wedding rings and her matching necklace as her only jewelery; Esposito would be there with his tie matching her dress, wearing his wedding cuff-links she'd given him. Then the next morning, they'd fly to New Zealand for three weeks of adventures and as much sex as they could handle.

The day was a blur as they readied themselves for the night - the stylist Robina had set up for them came to the hotel room to do Meredeth's hair and make-up, give Esposito a once-over; he didn't mind that he was barely paid any attention. This was Meredeth's night, first and foremost, he was there to be her arm candy and her support. By the time three-forty-five rolled around, he was back in his tux, only his pocket-square and tie were teal blue instead of white this time, and he actually got to watch Meredeth dress, even helped her zip up her gown and fasten her necklace around her neck.

'You ready to rock that joint, Mrs. Meredeth Esposito?'

'You know it, Mr. Javier Esposito.'

Feeling like the most glamorous woman in the world, Meredeth looped her arm through his, and they walked out of the elevator to the lobby where once again, they turned all the heads as they went out to their waiting limousine to take them to the Kodak theatre. Once there, Esposito slid out first, into the balmy September air, then held out his hand for his wife and was both flattered and surprised at the level of screams her appearance elicited from the crowd. 'They really love you.'

'But not as much as I love you. Come on, this is the big leagues.'

They sauntered up the red carpet, Esposito feeling no shame as he pulled out his slim pocket digital camera, snapped photos of Meredeth with colleagues and admirers in between the Then he felt his throat tighten when he saw the gigantic blond man maneuvering through the crowd towards them. 'Dear God, it's the Swedish Herman Munster,' he murmured, directing Meredeth's attention to the incoming man.

'Miss Coleman!'

'Actually it's Mrs. Esposito now.' Meredeth proudly held up her hand for inspection, as she'd been doing for reporters all night. She looped her arm through Esposito's, smiled brightly. 'We just got married Friday night.'

'Congratulations. I'm Alex, by the way,' he added for good measure, shaking Esposito's hand.

'Javier. Nice to meet you.'

'You as well, I've heard great things from her Twitter. I just wanted to catch you before heading inside, good luck tonight, I'll be cheering for you.'

'Thanks.' Meredeth counted to ten as the man wandered away, then murmured, 'Okay, let it out.'

'Jesus Christ, Mere, he was fuckin' huge! I think if I was standing on my tip-toes I could sniff his armpits.'

'Mister Skarsgard's a Swede, they're not exactly a country known for producing midgets,' she pointed out, as they reached the main entrance. She dug into her clutch, handed her tickets to the guard and were permitted to enter the auditorium to take their seats. They had little time to sit and wait, as the final guests came in just behind them and the lights above dimmed as the orchestra struck up the overture music.

Esposito took Meredeth's hand in his, almost as excited as she was. 'Here we go!'

* * *

'Please welcome to the stage from _Dallas Lieutenant Eve_ and _True Blood_, Selma Sinclair and Alexander Skarsgard.'

'This is it, this is us!' Meredeth felt her chest tense as she saw the two stars come onto the stage. Her palms had gone damp with nervous excitment and she began rubbing her thumb over her wedding band to try and ease her anxiety.

'Good television, whether it's a regular series or special event, begins with great writing, and tonight these four nominees represent the pinnacle of great writing this year,' Selma read off the teleprompter. 'The nominees for Best Writing in A Mini-Series, Movie or Dramatic Special are, _Candy Mann_ - Will Akerman and Nolan Martin. _Digital Fortress_ - Dan Brown, Arthur Hyde and Frederick Roberts. _Lady Hawk: Midnight is Crashing_ - Meredeth Coleman, Bonita Schaffer and Mark Upperton, and _Off the Map: An Ella Sawyer Adventure_ - Mario Benedict and Tiffany Lische_._'

Meredeth gripped Esposito's hand tightly, heard him say, 'Win or lose, you are my superstar,' as she held her breath.

'And the winner is...' Selma trailed off as she opened the envelope and smiled; the seconds were centuries for Meredeth as she held her breath.

'Meredeth Coleman, Bonnie Schaffer and Mark Upperton for _Lady Hawk: Midnight is Crashing_!'

Meredeth let her breath out, looked at Esposito who was grinning wildly, as he helped her to her feet. 'I love you, baby, go get 'em.'

She kissed him, then picked up the edge of her dress as she walked up the aisle towards the stage behind Bonnie and Mark. Her hands were shaking when she made it up the stairs and accepted the trophy from Alexander.

'Congratulations, I was hoping it'd be you,' he said as he passed Meredeth the statue.

'Thank you.'

She turned to the microphone and was marginally relieved when Mark and Bonnie were speaking; she felt the butterflies come back a hundred-fold when she heard Bonnie say, 'Mark and I won this last year, but Meredeth's a first-timer so we're going to let her take the spotlight.'

Bonnie stepped out of the way so Meredeth could give her acceptance speech.

'Well, let's see, this is my weekend so far,' Meredeth said, unaware of where these words were coming from, 'Friday I got married-' she paused a moment for the applause '-thank you, Saturday my new husband Javi and I flew to Hollywood for a posh pre-Emmy party, Sunday I'm at the Emmys winning an award for my writing and tomorrow, Monday, I leave for my honeymoon. I wonder what's going to happen on Tuesday?'

There was laughter as Meredeth continued, 'I'm absolutely overwhelmed, but we'll try to get this right. Thank you to my co-writers Bonnie and Mark, you are the most insanely talented people I've met, thank you to Elevation Studios and CBS, my agent and friend Robina Kelley for fighting for this project like a gladiator, to my friends in New York, I'm not naming names in case I forget someone, my grandmother Constance in Miami, everyone at Double-Diamond Publishing, but more than anything, I want to thank my mother, who's watching from heaven, hopefully in HD, and my husband, Javi.' She paused as her voice began to crack. 'Before I came up here, you said win or lose, you're my superstar. Well you are my superhero, I love you beyond comprehension, and you are so getting lucky tonight!'

She grinned now as the auditorium errupted in cheers and whistles, waved at them all. 'Thank you!'

* * *

_R&R&Enjoy._


End file.
